Elysium
by olej2k10
Summary: AU. Gray committed the biggest sin, that a citizen of Olympus could probably do, now the Death will follow his every step, but it doesn't matter for him, he'll be dead anyways. [Bad Cop Lyon, Lots of characters inside][Greek Mythology] I do not own Fairy Tail, all characters from FT belongs to Hiro Mashima. R & R is always nice ; )
1. Chapter 1 : Promises

"_Run you stupid, run!_", these few words were echoing in her mind while she was curled behind trash can in deserted alley.

A little girl no more than 10 years old, she was dressed in blue trash bag, her pretty face was in high contrast with her shaved head.

She loved her hair, but this society have left her no other choice. They were looking for pretty girls for slavery. She was living in this wicked city for whole 10 years. Hades, that's what people living here were calling it, covered in eternal darkness, the reason behind it were buildings so high and big that there was no sunlight in this cursed place. That was also the main reason her skin was so pale. And now she was all alone, again.

"Stupid Gajeel-kun!", she was mumbling to herself, through tears.

Gajeel was her childhood friend, son of the miners, he had scary red eyes, long dark hair and metal piercings in his body, but now he was gone forever, they have taken him from her, her one and only friend. He gave up his freedom for her. If only she could see the sun and feel it warm, but in this damn place it sounded like a dream of a madman. No one ever get to the Olympus, that place was too well secured. Rumors said that people there were like demigods, they even say some of them are actually gods and have magic powers. She had also some powers, but they were more like a curse to her, because that constant rain was surrounding her since she could remember.

"Gajeel-kun, you fool!", she screamed, her head hided in her hands.

/Juvia's flashback

She had no memories of her family, no she had no family from the very beginning, but despite that Juvia was happy. She was living in Hades, propably the worst place in this cursed world, but she had someone that no one over here ever had. A true friend.

"Oi, Juvia stop daydreaming.", Gajeel said. There were in their hideout, because on the Hades streets you could just get captured and sold as a slave or even worse raped and killed afterwards, that's why Juvia head was shaved, to don't bring any attention.

"Juvia is sorry Gajeel-kun, are we going for _**the Trip**_ now?", _**the Trip**_ was their daily ritual, they needed to find food, it was not an easy task for two little kids, but it was necessary for them in order to survive.

"Yep, but you need to be more careful today. I have this weird feeling today.", he said and then the boy grabbed a metal spoon and started eating it. Juvia never could go over the fact that he somehow possessed Iron Dragon Slayer powers, but he never wanted to talk about how he managed to do it or when.

So they went to their standard looking-for-food place, which was the Olympus dump. It was a place where all the leftovers from Olympus were sent. Juvia was always light-headed, so she was pretending it was like a picnic.

"Would you like some fine bread, Gajeel-kun?", she said happily, big smile spread across her pretty face.

"Damn you girl, just hurry up and pick something.", he said while he was watchfully looking around the dump. And at that very moment everything went wrong.

"So I guess we have found ourselves two new slaves, huh?", at this words Gajeel red eyes became wide, in the same time Juvia dropped the basket and was petrified with fear.

"A young boy and a girl, it's like hitting the jackpot,", two strangers smiled. Little boy recovered from initial shock, and rushed on them with his bare fists.

"Juvia run! Go as far as you can, I promise that I will find you." Gajeel yelled to his friend, while he was dodging strangers attacks.

"N-no Ju-Juvia can fight too, Juvia wants to help Gajeel-kun!", she said her voice shaking.

And right in that moment one of the slave hunters grabbed Gajeel from behind and immobilized him with some kind of silver wire.

"Now it's your turn, pretty face. I want to have some fun with you. He he he.", Juvia became pale, even paler than her usual self.

"Run you stupid, run!", that were the last word she heard from Gajeel, before she started to run, tears were running down, her cheeks, but she was running, as her friend told her.

/End of flashback

"He promised", and just like that she smiled when she was looking in the Hades black sky, her eyes were still red from crying. Suddenly she felt an arm grabbing her.

"Gotcha! You little bitch, you thought you can get away from us? You and your friend will make fine slaves on our ship." She was paralyzed with fear so much, that her body won't move even an inch.

"Move you little runt!", he yelled at her, again. Still there was no reaction from the little girl.

She felt pain in back of her head and her whole world went blurry, a few moments later she was unconscious.

"Stupid brat, look what you made me to do."

%%%%%%%%%%%

There was fire everywhere, burned bodies on the streets, it was like a bloody carnage, smell of decay was hanging in the air.

"So they were able to finally break the city defenses, hah.", the woman said to herself, she was looking of what was left of the outer district of Olympus. Capitan of the 7th Demi-corps squad, Ur Milkovich, she was wearing blue jeans and black leather jacket big roses emblem on its back and smaller one on right shoulder.

"Damn those cursed demons from Hades.", she said out loud, when suddenly she noticed a little boy, lying under the debris, instantly she rushed to the spot where he was.

"Hey!Are you okay, boy?", there was no answer from him, his eyes were empty and he just keep mumbling one word "Deliora...".

/Gray's flashback

"Can I finish the dinner later, mom?", little raven haired boy asked.  
"Na-a-a, you know that you must eat all the food, honey",he said with care in her voice.

"But mooooooooooooom.", Gray was relentless.

"No excuses!", his mom said more firmly this time.  
"Nyaaaaagh, ok.", small boy said resigned.

"He is a really stubborn kid.", Gray's father said a big smile spread across his face, he was a handsome man, his hair was raven black just like his son's, but they were swept-back,

he had also cross-like earrings and a breatsplate on him.

"You were no better when you were younger, Silver-sama.", woman said with joy in her voice.

"I said you a dozen times that I don' really like this -sama thing.", father stated blunty.

"Oooooooooh really, Silver-sama?", she was trying to irritate Silver, that was her favourite thing to do.

"Ok I finished ,can we play outside now?", boy asked.

"Yes, but try not to get too dirty this time.", Silver's wife said with care.

"Yes, it's play time!" Silver and Gray yelled in unison.

They were playing ice hockey, Silver was the captain of the Olympus Defensive Garrison and as ice demigod he had ice powers, so there was always plenty of snow and ice in their big backyard, despite the fact that in Olympus there was never such a thing as winter. Silver was absorbed with the game, when suddenly, Gray asked a rather unusual question.

"Where did that smoke came from, dad?", lil Gray asked, and instantly his father face become dead serious."Go to your room and do your homework, son", Silver said, his eyes full of concern were set on the main entrance to the city.

" But I don't want to!", Gray responded bluntly.

"I said now!", boy have never seen his father so serious before, so he practically run to his room in an instant.

After ten minutes, he hear a loud _**crash**_ and it felt earthquake, he tried to get out of his room, but the doors were somehow locked. _**Booooom**_, there was another crash, which made him a little nervous. In that very moment he heard his mother voice coming from the other side of the doors.

"Gray darling, you can't leave this room, promise me that you will not leave this room, no matter what.", she said.

"Mom, I'm scared, what's happening?", he was confused right now, the booming sound was getting louder and louder, as if it was moving closer to their house.

"Promise me you won'y leave this room", his mother repeated.

"I... I promise, mom", he said, his voice was shaking.

"Gray, honey..., I wish... I wish I could be there with you and give you a goodbye kiss.", his mother said tears running down her he was really scared, like he was never before in his life.

"Mom?", he asked one last time before he saw it, big dreadful eye was watching through his window. He was paralyzed with fear, the last thing he saw that day was a devilish grin on the monster's face, he recognized it from his father book, the one that he was never supposed to read, what he actually did a few times, but only when his parent were away, that book was about demon slaying and the monster name was **Deliora**.

/ End of flashback

Ur was scanning the ruins of the house, that strange little boy passed out so she called and emergency squad, when they arrived they took him to hospital.

"Where that little brat has learned about Deliora... , huh?",she spotted a woman under the debris and walked there slowly, because she was unable to sense any signs of life coming from that spot, when she removed the debris covering the corpse, her eyes saw a massacred female body, but there was something in her hand, it was a silver cross-like necklace.


	2. Chapter 2 : Beginnings

**I caught cold, so I'm writing.**  
***Rusty English**

Juvia woke up in unfamiliar room, stench of rotten food was so strong, that she almost fainted.

Rocking of the boat was making little girl eyes were looking for some kind of doors or something, sadly there was none. But she could hear voices coming from above, so she was listening to them carefully, as if her life depended on it.

"What should we do with those two brats?", her kidnapper said to his comrade.  
"How should I know? We were supposed to sell them, but who will buy a bald ten years old girl from us, huh?", man said with concern in his voice.

"And what about that crazy lil boy?", there were talking about Gajeel know, Juvia's heart skipped a bit. "So Gajeel-kun, was alive, thanks gods", she thought and smiled to herself.  
"We should beat that little bastard to the pulp, but there is a better punishment for him, the Martyrs Army", he said big grin spread across his face.  
"You can't be serious, this fate is worse that death, kid won't stand a day there.", kidnapper said shocked, in response to his friend words.

If there were left any colors on Juvia's face, they were all drained in an instant, because of the words they just said. "Martyrs Army", she mumbled to herself, her eyes fulfilled with fear, her whole body was shaking.

Martyrs Army was a cohort of martyrs,600 people damned by the gods and fate itself. Each of the future soldiers needed to pass the Ritual, made up by Hades himself. It was splitted in three parts, first you were tossed into the pitch black pit, where you must eliminate all your 20 opponents.  
In second part they command you to take a full body bath in Styx in order to become invincible, but only like 2% of candidates could survive this, because of the souls and bodies which were wandering in the river depths, just waiting to take your life in exchange for the one that their lost.  
Third part is the worst of all, but it don't affect in any way your body, no it would be too simple, too merciful. Last step was taking a sip from Lethe, which would result in full memory loss.

Juvia dropped on her knees, " Gajeel-kun will forget about Juvia and his promise to her, Juvia will be alone again...", she said , tears were running down her cheeks.

"So we'are back to the girl, what we will do with her?" , kidnappers were arguing again.  
"We will sell her of course you idiot?", other man said while he was hitting his comrade in the head with his fist.  
"But to who?"  
"Thanatos.", one of them said, evil grin spread across his face.  
"Ooooooh, Thanatos..."  
"Damn it why it is raining?"  
"Dunno, you can't see anything in this cursed place"

"T-Thanatos ", this name was carved in her mind, no more like it was in mind of every living person in this wicked world. With the sound of this name she had lost all her will and hope for anything.  
"He was the god of death, why they want to sell Juvia to him it doesn't make any sense for Juvia", she mumbled to herself. There was nothing other left for the little girl than lying and crying in this stinking room. Her future was sealed.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

"Let me out you fucking bastards!", Gajeel yelled at his kidnappers. He was trapped inside something similar to a box, barely able to made a move, too weak from hunger to do anything that could help him escape from his cursed little prison.

"Shut up you little brat, soon you will be free.", one of the man said, what made Gajeel even more confused.  
"Yes you will be free, he he he", second kidnapper said with a devilish grin, now little boy was really concerned about his life.

Thud! They dropped the box and open its top, so Gajeel could finally see black sky. He jumped out of the box and looked around, he became petrified. He was in Martyr Army's barracks courtyard.  
"This can't be happening, please take me somewhere else I will do anything. Everything but not the Martyr Army", he was yelling frantically to his kidnappers.  
"Sorry kid, you are useless to us, have fun here.", one of them said sarcastically and they just left, with smiles across their faces. Gajeel was standing there unable comprehend what just happened for at least 10 minutes.

Suddenly a big figure appeared behind his back.  
"Ooooo what we get here, fresh meat heh? I can sense that you're scared not very manly of you, boy.",the big man said to him.  
"My name is Elfman Strauss I'm in command here, and you are?", general asked.  
Nothing...  
"Oi, kid I asked you a question", still nothing, Gajeel just stood in the middle of courtyard.

Bam! Reptile like fist connected with kids jaw and sent him flying into the barrack front doors.  
"The hell is with you ,you shithead mutant?", boy yelled at Elfman, whose hand was back to human shape.  
"Ooooooh so you do know how talk.", general said, he was clearly teasing the little kid.  
"It's Gajeel, Gajeel Redfox.", he finally responded, still massaging his jaw.

General walked slowly towards the kid, which was looking at him with suspicious eyes, and grabbed him by the collar of his torned shirt.  
"Oi, what are you doing you shithead!?", Gajeel was trying to break free but there was no use.  
They were walking towards a big pitch black pit, Gajeel knew what was about going to happen, but he still couldn't believed it, this whole situation was like a big nightmare.  
"Martyrs Army test, starts now. Oh and make sure you say hello to your new friends down there. Be a man an at least try to survive, kiddo." Elfman said before he tossed little boy into the pit.

When Gajeel got up from the ground after the fall, he saw 20 pairs of eyes, they were looking at him, but all of them were empty and emotionless. At this moment he began his fight, in order to survive he must kill all these people. His eyes momentarily became empty, and he said only just one thing to them ,"I promise to make it quick."  
"That kid should, be dead right know", Elfman thought, but surprisingly he was wrong, so very wrong.  
"Iron Dragon Roar!", big tornado appeared in place in the pit, throwing out shredded bodies of sinners sent there.  
"Iron Dragon Sword!", General walked to the edge of the pit, to heard only little boy who was yelling to him "I defeated them, now let me out of here!", Elfman smiled.  
"Very manly of you boy. Let us start the second part of the test then!"

After a while Gajeel and other participants were at the coast of Styx river, the cursed river.  
"Now all of you excuses of a man must dive in this river, just do it manly!", General said pointing at the river.

Styx was no ordinary river you could hear voices from it, see faces in the water. Gajeel was slowly and carefully entering the river, when he was in it neck-deep something grabbed him and pulled to the bottom, but he managed to catch his last breath before that happened. Water was bloody red, but Gajeel was able to notice two characters there. And then he saw them, his parents, they were making gestures to him, to came closer.  
He missed them so much, while he was getting closer to them, they started changing in some monstrosities, but it was too late for him to turn back. "It looks like I will die, tch." he thought, when his mind was drifting off. But then remember the promise he made to Juvia.

"Shit, shit , shit I can't just die like this, she's waiting for me.", but it was too late, he began to lose consciousness.  
Suddenly Gajeel felt something pulling him to the top, something big, it was general Elfman's bear-like hand.  
"Cough!", little boy was dramatically gasping for air, coughing up water from his lungs, "Why you saved me? I thought you said we were pathetic", Gajeel asked surprised.  
"You were the only excuse of a man worth saving from all this trash.", and then boy saw it, no one else made it, he was the one and only survivor.

Gajeel was still soaking wet from the previous test while he was standing on the coast of another river with Elfman Strauss, Hades General. This time it was Lethe and he was going to experience complete memory loss.

"Are you ready for the final step, boy?", general asked.  
"There is one thing I must do before it", Gajeel said and changed one of his fingers into razor sharp blade. Elfman was watching curiously while the kid was carving a sentence on his arm with it.

"Remember the rain, huh?", shapeshifter said out loud.  
"I made a promise.", Gajeel eyes were full of determination.  
"Promise you say? It looks like you are a man after all, now drink this.", Elfman said while he was giving the boy bowl full of Lethe water. And he drunk it.

"Where the fuck am I?", boy asked, his eyes were lost.  
"You are a soldier in Hades Martyrs Army, you must obey orders his no matter what.", Elfam said emotionless, kid was looking suspiciously at him.  
"Ok lets say that, Hades wish is my command.", Gajeel's arm was hurting as hell, he looked at it and saw the sentence.  
"Remember the rain? What the fuck this even mean?! This shit hurts like hell", boy yelled, but Elfman grabbed him by his shoulder, to made him calm a little bit.  
"It's a promise, which certain man have made.", general said, while they were returning to the barracks.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

As days were passing by she became even paler and thinner, sometimes it amused her, that she started looking like Death.

"Come out little girl, it's time for you to make us rich.", one of the men said, when they have arrived to the destination. Her hands were tied up, the rain was still raining, but she couldn't care less. After twenty minutes of travel they stopped before small suspiciously looking hu

"Great Thanatos we came here to offer you this young maiden", Juvia was really hut doors open and there was standing a man of average height, and with strange orange hair, he definitely didn't look a Death god.  
"Thanatos is unavailable, what you want?", man asked, he was looking like he have slept all day.  
"What you mean by 'he is unavailable' ?" , one of the kidnappers said, unsure of what orange haired man said earlier.  
"It's simple. I killed Thanatos and Hypnos, now I'm both Death and Sleep." weird man said.  
"Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha", kidnappers were just laughing, when strange man said "Perish stupid fools." , his face dead was serious.

And just like that the kidnappers turned into ash, there was no noise of agony no was standing there petrified with fear, she didn't know what to do with herself, should she ran or stay and beg for mercy.

"Oooooh you are so pretty, come inside little girl, you are soaked wet", he said and she just did as god tell her. Inside the hut there were only one room, but it was big enough to contain one hundred people, surely it was some kind of twisted gods magic. There was a fluffy carpet on the floor, Juvia liked it, because it was tingling her feet. There were two armchairs in the nearest corner, where the orange haired man was going. Furniture was made from fine oak, "What a strange taste he has", Juvia thought. When they finally sat conversation has started.

"Why are you so quiet?", he asked there was concern in his voice  
"Juvia was always shy..." , she was able to replied after a short time.  
"Call me Loke you're an adorable child, you know ?", he said smiling sincerely to her,  
"Yes, Loke-dono.", she replied blushing slightly, she did't know why this man was so nice to her.

"Sooo what are we going to do with you?hm... I know! I will make a Death god, since I really hate to do this Death job part, you know?And if I don't start to do it properly Hades will come here and kill me, and I don't want this to happen.", Juvia thought it was some kind of cruel joke, this man couldn't be serious.  
But then Loke stood up and placed his one hand on her forehead. Juvia's world get blurry for a moment and after that she could feel something on her back. She ran to the mirror, her eyes got wide when she saw them black feather wings had grow out of her back. She looked at Loke and he just said, smiling "You will make a beautiful Death Goddess, you know?"

She was now Death, a Death that brings rain wherever she goes.

_"And there the children of dark Night have their dwellings,_

_Sleep and Death, awful gods._

_The glowing Sun never looks upon them with his beams,_

_neither as he goes up into heaven,_

_nor as he comes down from heaven. "_

"Now, let me tell you about Avatars Crisis", Loke said when she was back in her seat.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Ur was staring at the boy who laid in hospital bed, for like half an hour, but his eyes were still empty, no it was more like their were full of darkness, which was slowly eating Gray from inside.

"So how do you know about Deliora, kid?", she asked her gaze still was set on boy's face.  
"It doesn't matter, nothing matters until I kill Deliora", kid said angrily while he was clenching fists, his eyes were dead serious.  
"Woooooah, woooah Gray let's not make rash decisions here", Ur was trying to calm him down a little bit.  
"How do you know my name?", boy asked the captain of 7th Demi-corps squad.  
"Let me say I am your father's old friend. Oh and I've found this under the debris, you know what this may be?", she showed to him silver cross-like necklace.  
"Give me that!", he yelled at her.  
"Easy kid I will give you that if you will become my disciple, so I can watch over you and make sure that you won't do anything stupid."  
"Hmpf! Why are you want another disciple, am I not enough for you Ur?", Gray had realized that there was another person in the room. White haired boy was standing in the corner of the room, his eyes glued on Ur.  
"Lyon you know that I love you like my own child, there is no reason to be insecure" , she said, there was concern in her voice.

Silence...

"If I will become your disciple will you teach me how to use magic?" , Gray asked, his eyes were set on the ceiling.  
"Yes.", captain answered simply.  
"But first tell me boy what you know about this world?", this question caught the boy off guard.  
"Emmm... there are two cities Hades and Olympus, right?", he answered uncertain of his reply.  
"Pffff, so you know nothing, and you want to become Ur's disciple, how pathetic.", white haired boy said. Gray was starting to hate this kid, even he though didn't know him.  
"There are actually 5 cities", Ur said and Grey eyes get wide.  
"5?!", he asked with disbelief.  
"Yes, you know Olympus the place where you are since you were born , you should be also aware of Hades since your house was in the Olympus outer district and your father was the captain of the Olympus Defensive Garrison", Gray eyes gone even more empty, when she reminded him of his father.  
"But there are three more. First of them is Tartaros used as a dungeon of torment and suffering for the wicked as well as a prison for demons. This hellish city lies deep beneath Hades. We can't forgot about Elysium a paradise in such a wicked place like Hades, gods sure have twisted sense of humor, don't you agree? And the last is Arcadia located on the other end of Olympus borders.", Gray was absorbing each word carefully. He had no idea that, there were such a thing like paradise in Hades or even about Arcadia, he was wandering what kind of beings were living in places like that.

"And what about Avatars Crisis?", Gray asked, immediately regretting his question, Ur become pale, her eyes wide, and full of anxiety.  
"Lyon get out!", she yelled at Lyon, white haired boy was scared but managed to ask one question "But Ur what is this whole Avatar Crisis?"  
"I SAID GET OUT!", at this words she threw Lyon out of the room, slamming the doors behind him.  
"Where did you learn about Avatar Crisis, kid?", Gray was scared, because he could feel, that Ur was dead serious.  
"ANSWER ME KID!", she yelled at him while she was grabbing him by his neck and picking him up.  
"I-I read about it in a book...", Gray said, he was frightened.  
"Where is that book?", she asked while she was putting the kid back in his bed.  
"It was in our home.", Gray replied still scared.  
"Good it means that it was destroyed, so what you exactly know about Avatar Crisis?", she asked, it was looking like she finally calmed down.

"Few years ago gods were trying to achieve some kind of ultimate power, which was even more greater that their own, while they had the means they didn't have the knowledge, so they asked a great human wizard to help them...", Gray started.  
" Yes and he tricked them, his punishment was an instant death by the gods wrath, but more importantly the spell that gods cast with wizard, this spell had make them..."  
"… mortals.", the kid finished.  
"Correct. They had remained their powers and eternal youth but from that day on mortals are able to kill gods to took their powers to themselves. And that's how Avatars Crisis started."  
"But seriously I don't think a mortal would be able to kill a god", Gray said relaxed.  
"You are wrong kid, the Pantheon of Gods had changed a few times from that day.", she said, her face was somehow sad.

Few days later, Gray was able to leave hospital with his own strength, so Ur decided to let him go for a walk to the place where once stood his home. His forehead, chest and left arm were bandaged and a cross-like silver necklace was on his neck. But instead of mourning his dead parents Gray was digging through the debris, he was looking for something.  
"I found you.", he said to himself while he was holding a black burned book in his hands, two golden hammers were decorating its cover.

**Thanks for reviews here and messages on my tumblr ;) I have t a lot of ideas how to develop this story, sometimes too much : D**


	3. Chapter 3 : Prophecy

**Still sick, still writing.**

Gray was sitting behind his desk and was filling some of his reports.  
"Man I hate doing this paper work", he thought to himself. He was stuck here because of the casual damage he made in his last fight with Hades scouts.

_Knock,knock,knock._

"Please, come in". in the door was standing white haired good looking man.  
"Man, you are still stuck here?", Lyon said, his eyes were stuck on the pile of papers on Gray's desk.  
"Shut up!", Gray replied angrily. _Great now it's paperwork and Lyon_, he though.  
"If you were only able to use your brain in fight, but no you are always so reckless, how you even survived this all fights", he said clearly teasing Gray.  
"I said shut up, which part of shut up you don't understand, you pathetic excuse of an ice mage.",  
Gray was becoming more and more irritated.  
"Tch,I stopped by to say that I get that promotion that I was hopping for", Lyon said in his defense.  
"Ahhhhhh main strategist, was it? Congratulations, now get out so I can finish filling up these damn papers."  
"I will be in Ur office, come see us later", Lyon said while he was leaving Gray's office.  
"Whatever, just go!", Gray yelled at him one last time.

After an two hours Gray have finally finished paper work. He put on his white coat and checked his pockets if he got everything. When he was done , he closed his office and looked on title on his door "_**Colonel Gray Fullbuster, the Icesmith**_." When he was walking the hall all the people in the building were looking at him with respect, despite he was just eighteen years old he was one of the most skilled soldiers in terms of combat in this entire city. He just couldn't do anything else but smiled to himself. Finally he reached the door with label "_**Major General Ur Milkovich, the Icerose, 7**__**th**__** demi-squad captain.**_"  
He knocked., "Come in", well know voice said, inside the office was his master and Lyon.

"You are late Gray", said woman which was sitting behind big mahogany desk, picture of her and two little boys was decorating her desk, there was also a bouquet of red roses in a vase, her whole office was two times bigger than Gray's.  
"I must have done some shitty paper work", Gray said in his defense.  
"Watch you language Gray! Ur's here", Lyon said, vein was popping on his forehead.

_These two are so different_, Ur thought.

There were two kinds of Ice Magic, static and dynamic. Even they both used the ice element, they were different like night and day. Static magic was about making mainly weapons or influencing environment for the users advantage, this kind of magic was more depending on user fighting skills and his other one, the dynamic magic was focusing on making animated object for the user advantage such as birds, giant tigers or even mighty dragons.

That's how Gray and Lyon have get their titles from gods themselves, it was a very rare thing to happened.

**_The Icesmith_** was fitting Gray's magic perfectly, well that was explaining why he was in favor of Ares god of war, because of his unmatched combat skill, and Hephaestus a smithing god, Gray favourite creations were deadly weapons.

Lyon on the other hand was different, he was using dynamic magic to made powerful ice dragons, apes and tigers, they were gigantic in size. He was always more of a strategist that raw solider, always attacking from the second line, commanding his creations, evading face to face combat. His new title was "**_Main Strategist Lyon Vastia the Cold_**", because of his cold calculations. Vastia patrons were Athena goddess of wisdom and Artemis goddess of wilds, who gave him inspiration and permission to use even the shapes of wildest beast.

Ur always loved this boys as her own sons, and they known that even that they were so different from each other in every aspect of their lives, but when their master asked them they would obey her with no questions. And now they were celebrating Lyon promotion with jokes laughter and a little bit of wine that Lyon bought for this special occasion.

"Gray your clothes! Da fuq is wrong with you man!", Lyon yelled at Gray.  
"Dammit not again", Gray said resigned.  
"Ah you will never change Gray." Ur said there was a big smile on her face.  
"Heh, I guess I will not", the Icesmith responded, while his mind was drifting off.

Stripping habit was something that Gray obtained when he was younger and was training with Ur and Lyon in the highest of the Olympus mountains. In order to feel the ice and cold they were obligated to train in nothing more than underwear, but Gray was so fond of it that he was keeping stripping everywhere and he was making it unconsciously. This was very hard when he has joined the army, because he was getting a lot of punishments for it such as cleaning the bathroom with toothbrush. Somehow he managed to stop it but when he was in a safe place and with his close friends old habits still was still kicking in.

_**BAM!**_ The door have opened with a great force and there was a young man standing in them he was wearing a loose pants, leather vest, scarf and pink hair. He had some scales on his face and long red lizard tail.

"Yo Ice brain. I was looking for you it's time to go. Oh you stripped already? Put something on I really like boobies but not yours, no offense", man said. Gray hit the man in the stomach with full force. "What you just said, Flame pants?" And so they started to fight, tearing Ur office apart.  
"Get the hell out of my office", Ur said, sending them death glare, they immediately stopped fighting an ran off the building to evade scary woman wrath.  
"So it's time, heh. Are you sure, Natsu?", Gray said to the pink haired man.  
"Yep, so let's go", man said. And so they went in the direction of Ares temple.

Natsu Dragneel , _**the Salamander**_ was Gray's close friend, but he was a royalty, son of the King of Arcadia Igneel, what is more his father was a dragon. Natsu didn't know his mother, they said to him that she has died during his the childbirth. Arcadia was truly an Utopia, there was no hunger nor war, they got no soldiers there it was the most peaceful place in the world. But Igneel had tough Natsu the Fire Dragon Slayer secrets, that he would know how to defend himself in Olympus. As a man from Arcadia Natsu was trustful and friendly to everyone, which sometimes was making troubles. because he was able give all his money to some homeless guy. Natsu's patrons were Ares god of war, because of his unmatched hand to hand combat and Zeus the god of sky, cause of his dragon and royal roots. Their were like the total opposites, Fire & Ice but there were also best friends, although neither of them would admit it.

Finally there were at the foot of Ares temple. They got inside and saw high priestess of Ares

Erza Scarlet, _**the Titania**_. She was like an older sister to them, but she could be very scary sometimes. Erza was an orphan found at the doors of temple, people said that she was the daughter of Ares and Athena themselves, because of her wisdom an legendary swords skills. She was also very pretty but she always wear her armor on is more Titania was a Knight Magic user, which means she could change hear armor and weapons in an instant, gossips says that some of her equipment was made by Hephaestus himself.

" Natsu, Gray are you ready to perform th ritual?", high priestess said smiling to them.  
"Just let us change and we will start it in the no time!" men said in unison.  
"Ok, but you will be better no fighting there",she said as she was sending them death glares, they were scared. After few minutes Natsu and Gray were back in white togas an started the ritual which was a fight-like dance in front of the Ares statue. Erza sat on her stone throne and was just watching as her friends were moving in perfect synchronization, performing the ritual.

"Gah it was a long day", Gray said, he was in his apartment, which was little but quite cozy.  
There was one room with kitchenette, bathroom and a bedroom. They were hanging various weapons as scythes, one handed and two handed sword, axes, hammers even one bazooka model on the walls. He disliked defense he didn't use defensive ice magic unless it was necessary, because death in the fight was not an option for him. He went to the bedroom and picked up a book from his night table.

"Soon..." , it was all he said to while looking and it.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Eight years have passed since Juvia obtained her Death powers, she had now wavy, long blue hair and was wearing a black dress, her wings didn't bother her anymore, what was bothering her was the rain which was raining constantly for past eight years. She was now on her assignment.

Death goddess job was a strange job, she could't take personally all of the lives, but Loke said that she should do it as frequently as she could. This time she went to a lonely home on the outskirts of Olympus, rain was following her, she phased through the door and went to the small room. There was a whole family gathered around a bed. All of the people were crying, lifeless little boy was lying in his bed. She hated her role, but thankfully nobody could see her expect for the dead ones or the ones blessed with the gods favor.

"Who are you miss?", spirit of the little boy asked her, his eyes were lost.  
"Juvia's here to take you to a better place. What's your name?", she asked the confused boy.  
"I'm Egidio, nice to meet you miss, you are beautiful.", he answered, Juvia blushed slightly.  
"Thank you Egidio", she smiled to him.

She cut the golden thread, which was linking child's soul and its body.

"Can we take mom and dad to?", boy asked sheepishly.  
"No we can't it's a secret place you know.", she replied, her eyes became sad.  
"Ok..." , boy said sadly.

Juvia took boy's hand and led him out of the room, when they were outside she took boy on her arms and flew in the direction of the Hades main gate. The rain was always making it hard for her but she was used to it. After a few minutes they were standing before the main gate of Underworld. She said something, that boy couldn't recognize and the door started to open. Behind them was a monstrous dog with three heads, his eyes were bloody red and something like acid was dropping out of his mouth. Boy was so scared that he hid behind Juvia's back.

"Wha-what is this monster?!", boys asked pointing at the dog.  
"Oooh he's Cerberus Juvia's beloved puppy!", she said, boy was rather astonished with her answer. Juvia ran towards the dog, once he recognized her the hell-hound started immediately shrinking to the size of the normal dog.  
"Who's the good boy? Yes, you are the good boy.", she was playing with the dog as if he was a puppy.  
"Come here and try it Egidio!", boy got closer to the dog and started to petting dog carefully in return dog had licked his hand, it was nice.  
"Juvia will come back later, she promise", Death said to the hell-hound and he whined, but he let her go.  
"Why he was so friendly? Does't he supposed to be guarding the Underworld?", boy asked.  
"He is. He will catch and bring back every being that will try to leave this place, but not the ones that are entering", Juvia explained.

They went further into the deeps of Hades. They were walking until Juvia spotted a certain boatman. Charon was the ferryman of the Underworld who carried souls of the newly deceased across the river Styx, the living had no rights to enter his boat. He as wearing a long coat and a hood, so you could't see his features, but his hands were so skinny that they were reminding a hands of skeleton.

"Hello Charon-san", Juvia greeted a rather suspiciously looking man.  
"Tsk, it's you again... and this damned rain, I hate heard me woman?!", Charon replied grumpily.  
"Let us get over with it, do you have the coin boy?", he continued.  
"Huh?", boy was surprised by the question.  
"Just open your mouth Egidio", Juvia said, there was a coin for Charon in the boy's mouth. The coin was a payment for Charon to transport the soul of dead to the Elysium, it was a tradition that the family of the dead one will put it in his mouth.  
"You can enter the boat, boy", the boatman said.  
"Are you going with me miss?", boy asked, there was hope in his voice.  
"Juvia is not going Egidio, but Elysium is a nice place you will like .", she placed a goodbye kis on the boy's forehead.  
"Bye miss", he hugged her.

When finally Charon set the boat she flew back to her home. Yes, home she got a place like that in this wicked world. She was living with Loke-san this entire time. He taught her how to remain sane. First years were rough, she was a little girl and she was obligated to took people lives, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't take her own life. She was back in home lying and crying like each day.

"Was it a little kid again?, Loke asked.  
"Y-yes", Juvia answered him, she was still crying.  
"If I would know it would be so hard for you to cope with it I would have never make you a Goddess of Death", his eyes were full of concern.  
"N-no Juvia is grateful for that, if not for Loke-san she would be killed back then", she sat up on her bed.  
"You know that there is a way to make yourself forget...", Loke started, but Juvia interrupted him  
"No! Juvia will never make such a thing."

They were talking about water from Lethe river, it will make her forget everything, but that was meaning, that she would also forget about Gajeel and that was not an option for her.

_Juvia will be waiting for him as long as she needs_, Juvia thought. She knew from the souls of fallen soldiers that he was alive, but he lost his memory due to Martyrs Army test.

"You need help with falling asleep?, Loke asked with care.  
"Yes Juvia will be more than pleased, if Loke-san can help her", she said to him, her cheeks were still wet from tears.  
"Ok, just... just relax." , he said and placed his hand on her forehead. Juvia felt instantly into deep slumber.

_If only I could make her happy for once_, Loke thought.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

"Gah!" Gajeel woke up in his tent, his whole body was covered with cold sweat. This damn nightmare never let him sleep, it was always the same.  
He was standing in front of his 10 year old self in the rain, little him was pointing at the sky and always repeating just one word "Remember". This was truly an irritating dream. He went out of his tent to catch some fresh air. It was looking like everybody were sleeping, but he notice a big figure near the campfire, at the center of the campsite. He walked up there an he saw General Elfman. Now they were both sitting near the campfire, in silence when the big man spoke

"You had another one?", Elfman asked, his eyes focused on the fire.  
"Yep", Gajeel replied.  
"Wanna talk about it?"  
"Nope."  
"Tsk, not very manly, but do as you like kid."

Elfman and Gajeel became a good friends in this eight years that have passed. Gajeel was now brigadier general in Martyrs Army, mainly because of his fighting skill and that he was merciless in combat, there was no one who has started a fight with him and lived. His title was _**the Bloodseeker**__._ Eflman was still a general in Martyrs Army.

"Any reports coming lately from your sister?", Gajeel asked curiously.  
"She didn't report in a while but nothing to worry about, she's stronger than me or even us both."

Gajeel gulped, she hear legends about Mirajane Strauss. People were saying that she was able to use demon souls for her own use, she was in command of the infiltration squad.

"How long is she there?", Gajeel asked again.  
"About 3-4 years", general replied his eyes were still watching the flame.  
"Do you think they will reveal her true identity?", Iron Dragon Slayer asked curiously.  
"My sister is very cunning and relentless, she will complete her task no matter what.", Elfman answered.

Strauss family history was a sad one, even for someone as dense as Gajeel. It was hard to believe but there was a time they were living in Olympus. Elfman, Mirajane and their little sister Lisanna. She was a taboo in the Martyrs Army, anyone who mentioned that name was instantly eradicated by the Strausses. When they were living in the blessed city an incident has taken place. Elfman was no more than 14 years old, and his shape shifting skills were not so good as they are this day, but he attempted a full body transformation. And then it all happened, he went berserk and was destroying everything in his sight, even his elder sister Mirajane couldn't help it, but just evade his attacks, he was like a spirit of the wilds. An then his little sister Lisanna tried to refer to his human side, but there was no use. She became another casualty of that slaughter. When Demi-corps squad finally get a hold of Elfman, quarter of the city inner district was destroyed.

Strausses were banished from Olympus forever. but what is more important little Lisanna was killed by her own brother. Elfamn couldn't get over it, he was a mess in that time. But after the Lisanna's funeral, a certain man approached Strauss siblings. He was wearing a black coat, the only things visible from under his hood were his blue hair and a tattoo on the right part of his face. He said, that he could bring their little sister back, but for a certain promise. Strausses agreed, which was their another mistake, because that man was Hades himself. He promised to bring Lisanna back from Elysium, but the two of them must have became his champions. From that day on Strauss Family was cursed with a promise of loyalty to Hades.

Elfman was assigned as a General of the Martyrs Army and Mirajane was the captain of infiltration squad. And they were like that for 14 years. Hades allowed them to remain their memories in order for them to remember why they should obey his each order without any hesitation.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

In the Apollo Temple lived a young maiden, her name was Wendy Marvel, _**the Oracle**_. She was chosen by the Apollo, she spoke for him. She was found an the stairs of the temple when she was a little baby. The priestesses have raised her as one of them and when she hit fourteen Apollo himself decided to made her his Oracle. And so from that time on her life was a bliss, everybody worshiped her as a goddess, but she was a little lonely and had no friends besides Titania, Icesmith and young Dragneel. She was really eager to see them, the next day.

Suddenly her world became blurry and she passed out, when she regained her consciousness, there was a crowd of priestesses surrounding her.

"Wha-what happened?", she asked she was still feeling weak.  
"Apollo have spoken through your mouth child", high priestess replied.  
"And what he had said, high priestess?", Wendy was exhausted but really excited to hear her prophecy, so far there were only good things that he spoke through her.  
"Certain man needs to be killed", high priestess said emotionless.  
"Wh-what?!" Wendy asked shocked.  
"Gray Fullbuster the Icesmith, must be stopped before he will bring bring death to this city.", the older one said.  
"It can't be Gray, its impossible it must have been some kind of mistake",Wendy dropped on her knees,mumbling to herself, her hands on her face, tears running down her cheeks.  
"Apollo is never wrong my child, you must have throw your feeling aside, it's for the greater good."  
"What are you about to do, Gray?! What were Apollo words exactly high priestess?", she yelled at high priestess.  
"If you insist on it I will tell you:

_The one with ice in his hands,  
__the one that forges it into weapons,  
__the one with darkness in his heart,  
__he will unleash it from his heart,  
__he will forge it into a weapon,  
__he will kill everybody with it hands,  
__that is why you need to kill him  
__before the sun goes down_"

Wendy eyes were wide now and full of fear "What are you about to do, Gray...", she repeated, but it was just a whisper this time.

Gray was laying in his bed, certain book in his hand, he was examining her closely. He was so excited that probably he would not get any sleep that night, it didn't matter to him anymore, nothing did.

"Tomorrow, tomorrow I will finally have my revenge.", he said to himself, his other hand on his silver necklace.


	4. Chapter 4 : Dead Ice

**Feeling better!**

"Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!", Gray was cursing while coughing up blood.

_Every fucking thing went wrong_, he thought while he was laying on the ground in the Olympus Park bleeding to death. His limbs won't move, because they were shattered, he could just lay there and wait for the Death to took him Puddle of blood under him was getting bigger and bigger. He had not to much time left.

Gray woke up early that day, his morning have started with some vomiting, because of the stress he was going through. He didn't go to the barracks, to evade suspicions. He called the main office and said, that he was not feeling too well, that was the truth after all. He was checking his equipment once every hour.

_There are only two hours until sunset I can go now_, Gray thought, then he packed his mysterious book to his backpack and started to put on his coat when somebody knocked to his door.

"Gray are you there?", it was Erza, Icesmith tensed.

_Ok, chill out, play it cool, there is no way she would know what are you about to do_, he thought.

"Yo, Ice brain open the door", familiar Dragon Slayer voice said. This was getting strange, why was Natsu here Gray wandered."Gray, please open the door" it the Oracle's voice, Gray's eyes went wide. He rushed to the window and saw Apollo Guards outside his building. They were special forces, who were above the law, eliminating people, who were a threat to the society and the city itself. _So they know_, he thought. Gray walked to the door and opened them.

"Sorry I couldn't find the keys to open the door, please come in", he greeted them with a fake smile.  
Three of his friends walked in. They sat on his big couch, their eyes were full of concern.  
"Gray you know you can tell us everything, right?" Erza started, her face was looking like a face of caring older sister.  
"Yeah, I know." he replied but he was thinking something else.  
"So is there anything you would like to tell us?", Scarlet was pushing it.  
"Nope, everything is fine Erza, I'm just feeling a little sick today that's all. And now excuse me, I need to go to the bathroom", he excused them. When the bathroom doors closed behind him the conversation in living room started.  
"Are you sure it's really the Stripper?", Natsu asked he was bored.  
"It must be Gray, my prophecies are never wrong, we just need to hold him here till the sunset and it will be alright", Wendy replied.  
"Wait, where's his backpack?", Erza asked while she was scanning the room with her eyes.  
"What backpack?", Natsu asked irritated.  
"You know the one which was laying near the couch", before they could turn back there was a yell.

"Ice make: Gungnir!", the voice came from the bathroom. Whole wall of the building was destroyed by the colossal spear coming out from the 4th floor.  
_Sorry, guys but it has to be done_, he apologized his friends in his thoughts.  
"Ice make: Ice Canon", Gray was sliding down the colossal ice spear, shooting ice missiles in the Apollo's Guards, he had the element of surprise and height advantage, they were easily defeated. He ran as fast he can in the direction of the park, he had like 20-30 minutes of advantage over the chase. _It will be enough_, he thought.

"Gray you fucking bastard!" Natsu was yelled still immobilized under the debris in Gray's apartment. He couldn't use his magic to get out, because whole building might collapse. Suddenly a pile of debris has moved, in the next instant it perished and Erza appeared in her Adamantine Armor. She re equipped to her normal armor and helped Natsu get out of the debris. They started to search for Wendy, after a while they found her in the Grays bedroom, she was sobbing, holding something that was looking like some kind of letter. When they got closer to her she passed the letter to Erza, and she read it out loud.

"_I was planing this for whole eight years, you cannot stop me  
__I'm going to summon him here in Olympus and defeat him  
__Today is the day of my revenge, I might have end up dead  
__So this is my farewell to you, my friends."_

" We have no time to loose, Natsu you think you can sniff out his trace?", Erza asked while she was equipping her Flight Armor  
"Sure thing, let's go!", Natsu replied, he was all fired up.  
"Wendy will you be alright?", Erza asked concerned about Wendy's safety.  
"Y-yes I will head down the building and help treating the casualties. Please, you have to stop Gray."

But he was already there, in the center of the Olympus Park. He drew the unknown symbols on the ground, then put a bowl in their center, cut his hand and filled the with some of his own blood. Then he opened the book and started reciting.

"_I offer you this blood, let the door of the Tartaros open,  
__let him come here thr__ough them __in this world,  
__let him show himself in his true form.  
__With this words I summon __you in my world.  
__Come here Deliora, Come."_

As he finished this sentence the book in his hand started to burn, while his blood in the bowl was boiling. The earth's crust have opened and there was a big bottomless pit, suddenly a monster started climbing up, when he was on the surface with both his legs, the earth's crust have closed. Demon was massive in size, he was as big as six floor building. Gray was scared, but relentless in his objective.

"Who summoned me?", demon asked.  
"It was me." , Gray straightened.  
"Ooooh was it you puny human?" , hell-spawn have asked, he was not taking the Icesmith seriously.  
"Today I will have my revenge, Deliora!", Gray yelled his eyes were filled with fury.  
"Oh now I remember you. You are this little brat that survived our assault on Olympus. It will be pleasure to end your life, boy", demon said, while he was preparing to attack.

And they started to fight. Gray began with his ice lances but there were too weak for Deliora. Demon just stood there unaffected. Next Icesmith tried with his ice arrows. Still nothing, he began to doubt in himself.

And that was the moment when Deliora attacked, he was too fast for something his size, he sent Gray flying like 500 meters just with a light kick. When Gray landed he could feel that he has broken some of his ribs, but it didn't matter as long as he could defeat the demon. Gray waited for Deliora to came closer and when the demon was like twenty meters away from him, he used his Gungnir, Gray aimed for the monster's head, and he hit perfectly. He smirked to himself.  
_I did it, I defeated the demon that was haunting me for eight years_, he thought, but right then the ice spear begin to shatter.

"That was actually pretty good, but I guess you are out of moves, boy", Demon said a wicked smile was forming on his face.  
"No... I have one left", Gray stood up, his arms in front of him were making and X sign, he right arm was above the left arm. The right palm was facing down, left palm was facing up. Great energy started to emanate from Gray's body, which was glowing.  
"I can't let you wander in this city", first seal formed above the demon's head.  
"What is this shit?!", second seal formed on the right side of Deliora.  
"I will seal you in ice for eternity, even if I need to sacrifice my own life and soul", third seal formed on left side of the demon.  
"Silver won't be happy, about this.", demon said, and just like that on the sound of his father's name for a just brief moment Gray hesitated. And that was when things went really wrong. The seals where gone, his body stopped glowing but his arms and legs started twisting in some inhuman manner, the pain was unbelievable, his bones just got crashed to pieces, what is more the skin on his arms and legs starts to shred, blood was flowing out of the holes.

"Wha-What's happening?", Gray screamed in agony, terrified.  
"I may not be a specialist in magic but I know one thing if you cast a spell of sacrifice and you hesitate even for a moment, you will receive Divine Punishment for your hesitation", demon smirked. And that's how it all happened.

"Now should I just eat you or leave you here and start destroying the city, it's really a hard choice"  
_Shit, shit, shit, am I really this pathetic?_, Gray thought.  
"Oi Gray you need some help with this big, ugly guy over there?" a familiar voice asked.  
"Natsu?", Gray couldn't believe his own ears.  
"I will buy you some time, go and help Gray." Erza said while she was equipping her Haven's Wheel Armor.

Natsu went to tend Gray wounds, but there was not much he could do.  
"I'm not going to lie , there is only one way to stop the bleeding I will need to rip off your cursed limbs and then burn the wounds..." Natsu said his eyes filled with anxiety.  
"That's mean no more ice magic for me, huh?" , Gray replied sarcastically.  
"Yep..." Natsu was not sure about it.  
"Do it", Gray commanded him.

And he did as Gray said. Natsu ripped of what remained of Gray's arms and legs, burning the wounds with his fire to stop the bleeding. Pain was so great that Gray had passed out. _He is safe, for know_, Natsu thought.

Even almighty Titania was taking a beating from Deliora. _They needed to came up with a plan and they needed to do it fast_, he thought.  
But right then he saw a black haired woman, her eyes were full of sadness. She approached Gray and despite the fact, that he was unconscious she said to him:

"So you unleashed your darkness after all..."  
"Get out of my way kids I will finish this" Ur said to Natsu and Erza, while she was walking in the direction of Deliora.  
"Ooooh and you are?", demon asked with contempt.  
"Ur Milkovich and I will seal you once and for all, Rose Garden!", she yelled and in an instant the whole demon body was covered with ice roses.  
"It's not enough to sto-... ", Deliora didn't have time to finish his sentence, five seals were surrounding his body.  
"I guess that you are more skilled than that little runt", demon said Ur whole body was glowing, her skin started to shatter.  
"Natsu... please tell Gray... tell Gray that I did this to seal the darkness in his heart.", she said turning her head back in Natsu direction, but Gray has regained temporarily his consciousness in that moment, so he saw Ur giving her live up for him, another image that will haunt him forever, and it started to rain.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Juvia was flying to her next place of destination, it seemed that there was a major event in the Olympus park, Loke said that even the gods themselves were absorbed by it. She landed lightly on her bare feet, she was wearing her usual black dress. Juvia started walking to the center of the Olympus Park, people were running in the opposite direction that she was heading to. Death goddess could see a gigantic block of the purest ice and it seemed that there was something inside of it. She was curious so she quickened her pace. Her eyes went wide, inside the said block of ice was Deliora one of the Hades demons, she hear that he was capable of destroying whole city in just one day.

There were two people nearby, and something that from the distance looked like her primary objective. When she was getting closer to the body that was laying on the ground someone has grabbed her by the shoulder, she was surprised that someone could see her.

"Please don't take him", red haired maiden said with the pleading voice  
"Juvia has no choice", she replied and kept walking towards the body.  
"Erza who are you talking to?", so the pink haired boy couldn't see her.  
"There must be something that we can do, he made a horrible mistake but he's my friend, he can't just be taken away from us." redhead continued.  
"Juvia understands, she had a friend once", the goddess has stopped for a while.  
"You understand? So will you spare him?", Erza asked once more, hope in her eyes.  
"No, that is exactly why Juvia will take him away from you", she replied coldly.

"The hell are you doing Erza, are you nuts?", the pink haired man have become a nuisance.

"Shut up, Natsu!", she yelled at him, "Please I beg you as an Ares's high priestess there must be something that I can do!" scarlet haired woman dropped to her knees, tears were forming in her eyes.  
"Can you make the rain stop?", Juvia asked her eyes were empty, she still stood still.  
"Wha-what? I don't think I have this kind of power..." Erza replied caught off guard.  
"Then your friend will come with me, please do not interfere any more with Juvia's duties.", Death started to walk again.

Pink haired man just stood there, unable to comprehend what was happening right in front in his eyes. Erza Scarlet the mighty Titania was kneeling on the ground and crying, talking to someone who he couldn't apparently see.

Juvia get closer to the body laying on the ground and was really astonished. Even that this man was lying in the puddle of blood and his legs were somehow amputated below knees as well as his arms were below elbows, but he was looking handsome. _What a waste_, she thought.

"You will come with Juvia now..." , she said as she leaned over to grab his golden thread linking his body and soul. Strangely it was really thick as if this man was holding desperately to his life, but no one should survive this kind of thing. Suddenly he spoke to her.  
"Please don't'...", she removed the hair covering his eyes, he had beautiful dark eyes.  
"Why Juvia should let you live? Your time has come mister Fullbuster." she asked him.  
"How do you know my name?", Gray asked her surprised.  
"You have made quite a ruckus between the gods, the Icesmith that committed the greatest sin that a citizen of Olympus can make, summoning a demon in the city. Not to mention the attempt to sacrifice your own eternal soul to cast a spell of sacrifice. Divine punishments are never really pleasant, do they?" she asked, she was teasing him in some strange manner. Gray remembered his limb twisting inhumanly and the pain.  
"Heh, no they are not nice", he replied, he was smiling weakly.  
"Now let us go to the Hades, I guess there is no place in Elysium for you after what you did but I heard that Tartaros is quite a nice place", Juvia said.  
"I refuse", her eyes got wide, his gaze was so serious, so piercing.  
"Why do you want to live? In this state you will be forever confined to a wheel chair, but not for too long because when they court-martial you, you will be sentenced to death", she was curious about this man.  
"This whole thing is my fault I must take responsibility for it. If I die know I will die like a coward and I need time to say goodbyes to my friends", he responded, his will was unshaken.  
"Hmmmm... there is a way, but the Death will follow your every step, watch your every move, hear your every word. And the rain will follow as a never ending reminder of tears that your master shed." she said, she was really curious about his answer.  
"It doesn't matter as long as it will buy me some time to end all loose end", he replied.  
"Then you have got yourself a deal , mister Fullbuster. I guess we should seal our deal somehow, since you don't have any hand anymore I guess that a handshake is not an option. Sooo...", she was blushing. Her cheeks were burning red while she kissed him in his cheek, even on the edge of death his skin was warm.

He felt her cold lips, there were like the ice, ice that he couldn't make anymore.  
_So that is how a kiss from Death feels_, he thought and then he lost his consciousness.

"You received a kiss from Death, better don't break this promise", she said to him even he couldn't hear her, Juvia's cheeks were still red, such a contrast with her pale skin.

She approached Erza, which was still kneeling on the ground, Natsu was trying to cheer her up somehow.  
"Juvia will spare him... for now", she said to her coldly.  
"Th-thank you", Erza was still crying but now there were tears of joy.  
"No thanks to Juvia, you should thank the Icesmith his will of live is unusual. But Juvia will stay with him till his time will come." and just like that she flew away.  
Erza nodded, she knew that was meaning, that Gray will die in the near future, but they were able to say a proper goodbye to him now.

Natsu was still astonished he did't understand a thing that happened. Suddenly Gray breath was steady, Erza was much more calmer, but he still couldn't see the person responsible for all this.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Gajeel was before the biggest tent in the camp, he was said to met Elfman there. When he entered the tent there was a big table in the center of it, and a precise map o Olympus was laying on it.

"Shit, where did you get a thing like this?", Gajeel asked surprised,  
"Heh, it's a present from my sister", Elfman smirked

They were about to plan the siege on the Olympus, Gajeel still didn't know why Hades wanted this city so badly. Apparently there was something very precious hided inside it, or he was just power hungry freak, it didn't matter.

"So what's the plan?"Gajeel asked.  
"We will wait for the next three weeks, preparing our troops and moving slightly closer to Olympus, when the time will come my sister will open the gates of Olympus for us and our combined forces will unleash hell upon them." Elfman smashed his fist on the table.  
"What position does your sister have there, that she's capable of doing such feats?, Gajeel was curious.  
"She's the captain of the Olympus Defensive Garrison", Gajeel's eyes became wide.  
"Whoa, whoa, whoa how to come that they don't recognized her?", Iron Dragon Slayer was really surprised.  
"As I have said to you before, she can change her appearances easily", Elfman stated matter-of-factly.  
"She's a hell of a scary woman then. What will be my part in this whole plan then?" Gajeel asked.  
"You will do what you do best, Bloodseeker" , General smiled to him.  
"Gihi gihi, sure that I can do. It will be a pleasure, but I hope that we can find there some challenging opponents." Gajeel said as his right arm transformed into double edged sword.  
"Watch what you wish for my friend it won't be very manly of you if you will fall to the Olympus champions, there are a quite scary bunch." Elfman warned his comrade.  
"Tch, they can kiss my ass!", Dragon Slayer yelled.

And so they were back to planning the attack in details.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Natsu was watching as Apollo Guards were taking unconscious Gray to the hospital. Frozen Demon was still standing there, they couldn't do anything about him, he was just to massive in size to move. Dragneel started to play with his tail when Erza approached him.

"How he was able to accomplish such a thing?", Erza was curious about it.  
"You mean summoning this ugly guy?", Natsu said while he was pointing in the Deliora direction.  
"Yes, no human should be able to do it. Even you, who are the offspring of the dragon will be exhausted, not to mention fighting this thing after the ritual.", Titania was wandering about it for some time.  
"Ummm maybe Gray isn't a regular human..." a weak voice said. They turned around to saw Wendy, she was shaking just from standing near the demon.  
"What do you exactly mean Wendy?" Erza asked curiously.  
"You know that there are few kind of people known in this world, there are dragon offspring like Natsu, child of gods like you Erza. There are also gods killers from Avatars Crisis like Lord Laxus." , they all winced on the sound of that name. " ... even Martyrs are no regular people."  
"What's your point Oracle?", Natsu asked he was still playing with his tail.  
"I mean, maybe... maybe Gray is somehow... I don't know how to put this,,,, tainted with demons blood", she said shyly.  
"Don't be silly Wendy, you are just making up stuff right know", Natsu pat Wendy on her head.  
"But think about it Natsu! He was able to summon a greater demon all by himself with only a little bowl of his own blood", they could see that Wendy was serious.  
"I say you that there is no way that Ice Brain can have demon blood running through his veins, he will be eradicated the second someone will find out", Natsu stated matter-of-factly.  
"Who were Gray's parents?" Erza asked.  
"His mother was from traders district and his father was previous captain of the Olympus Defensive Garrison, no big deal, his name was Silver or some other color, dunno, I don't care" Natsu was irritated.  
"You said, Silver?", Wendy eyes got wide from the shock.  
"Nine Demon Gates Silver of the Absolute Zero, the Exorcist, who according to legends was eating souls of demons?" she continued.  
"It's impossible someone like him was able to get a job in our military. Either way Hades would come here and kill him with his own hands if he would pull out something like this." Natsu said, he was beyond his limit.  
"You may be right, it was probably just the similarity of names", Oracle said, she her eyes were lost.  
"Sure I am, you are just overthinking things Wendy", Natsu said, there was a grin on his face.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

A man was sitting on a bone throne, river of blood was flowing behind him. It was the center of beautiful, but scary looking palace, every single thing there was made from human bones. Lights were just imprisoned souls. Said man took down his hood revealing his blue hair and a tattoo on his cheek.  
"Time to pay that whole Icesmith a little visit."

**Mon-Wend I have my lectures and exercises so there will be no updates.**


	5. Chapter 5 : Visitors

**SURPRISE****!**

Olympus hospital was a big white twelve-floor building, the big white decorated columns were supporting the roof above the massive doors was a crest Hestia. She was a virgin goddess of the hearth, architecture, and the right ordering of domesticity, the family and the state. Inside the hospital was perfectly clear white walls, it was calm there, you could say that the patients would have they peace there and they could rest properly. But what you don't know is that there was a secret underground level, for the "Special Patients" such as war criminals, that were under the custody of Guard, to make sure none of them will attempt to escape from there. But one room in particular was guarded heavier that the others, outside the room were standing two guards, no I should say that they were more like empty armors, souls that were bind to guard this place forever, until the end of their duty will come, the Divine Guardians. They were chosen by the gods themselves and Gray was in that room.

His eyes were empty, his gaze was concentrated on the ceiling for like an hour, near him on the hospital chair was sitting a beautiful woman, her black wings were spread, so she could play with them. He had no limbs below knees and elbows. He couldn't eat by himself, nor drink or do his physiological needs. The nurses that were aiding him, were always so scared. As he could kill them with just his seemed not to notice the Death goddess, but it was even better for him. Some of the nurses were just disgusted with what he done, it didn't matter for him nothing more did. He smirked to himself as he thought of him making some nurse changing into the block of ice just with his eyes.

"What's so funny Gray-sama?", Juvia asked him.  
" I told you not to call me like that, there is nothing in me that you should respect.", he replied his gaze was still focused on the ceiling.  
"But Juvia will now follow Gray-sama's every step, Juvia thinks that's appropriate, at least for know.", she said as she was still playing with her black feather wings. Gray turned his head to her.  
"Is it hard?", he asked.  
"Emmm what?", Juvia said, caught off guard by his question.  
"Is it hard to fly with these wing of yours?" , his eyes were set on Juvia's wings.  
"No! Juvia thinks its actually fun if not for the rain...", she started.  
"Ah, the rain... tell me about it", he turned his gaze back to the ceiling.  
"Gray-sama wants to hear about Juvia's rain?!" she asked excited.  
"Heh, yes",_ it was a good time to be generous,_ he though.

But when Juvia stared to open her mouth. The door opened and in them there were standing no one else than the Main Strategist Lyon Vastia, the Cold and his assistant Chelia. He was wearing his new uniform the long blue coat with yellow elements on it, and she was wearing a pale blue mini skirt, a pink, sleeveless top with a dark blue center and a folded collar with yet another orange ribbon tied around it and a heart emblem on her left breast and an "X" on her right. She was the youngest Main Strategist assistant ever, mainly because of her self thought God Slayer Magic.

"Chelia please leave us alone", he said it seemed that he couldn't see Juvia.  
"Bu-But Lyon-sama are you will be ok, this monster maybe doesn't have limbs anymore, but who knows what devil powers he posses.", she said her eyes were full of suspicions. _Ooooh so I'm a monster now_, the Icesmith thought. Juvia's heart cracked a little bit.  
" I will be ok, you don't need to worry about me. But please make sure that no one will enter through this door." Lyon said, his face rather polite.  
"Yes Lyon-sama!" and Chelia said with energy as she left the room, closing the door behind her.  
"So how's the new job, are you doing well?", Gray started.  
"Yes it's quite rewarding, you know...", Lyon started to taking off his gloves.  
"... unless some bastard tries to jeopardize the whole city security by summoning a fucking demon in the center of the park, which was filled with civilians.", Lyon was now removing his coat. Juvia's cheeks went red, _Is-is this some kind of boys love?_, she thought.  
"Yeah about that.", Gray started but Lyon's fist hit his stomach.  
"Blurgh!", Gray spilled blood from his mouth.  
"Please go it won't be a nice view", he said to Juvia, she had her hands covering her face, her eyes were full of sorrow.  
"The hell are you talking to bastard?! Why did you did it Gray?!Why?! Answer me dammit!" Lyon kept punching Gray in his stomach and face.  
"Please, just go.", he repeated one more time, his eyes were empty. Juvia stared to cry, but she listened to him an phased through the wall to the other room. Lyon was about to explode from the anger, he was keeping punching Gray but the Icesmith has said nothing. He grabbed his neck and lifted him, nailing to the wall.  
"If you just would die back there, but no! You had to survive!", Lyon held Gray with his one hand and kept punching his stomach with the other fist, he was getting tired.  
"And Ur, she sacrificed herself for a piece of shit like you, she will not be able to leave this world nor stay here. She was like a mother to us, and look what you have done to our mother Gray!", Lyon yelled at him tears were forming in his eyes. Gray was all beaten up, blood coming from his mouth.  
"Are you done?", Gray asked his eyes were still empty, like he was not there. Lyon snapped at his words, he dropped Gray in the ground and started to kick him violently. Suddenly the door have opened and there were standing Lyon assistant.

"I know that you said that no one was permitted to enter but I heard laud noises and I was worry about you Lyon-sama", and after that Chelia eyes were full of fear she have never saw Lyon in that state, he was berserk. "Lyon-sama please stop, you will kill him." she screamed while she was trying to stop her superior.  
"You may have right Chelia, death will be too good for him, I'm finished here. Let's go" and just like that he grabbed his gloves and coat and left the room. Chelia eyes were still full of fear, but she followed her boss.

After a few seconds Juvia was back, she was terrified, Gray was laying on the floor coughing up blood. She went to him and picked him up. But there was no thank you or any response from him, she started to feel uncomfortable and put him on his bed. After that she sit on the chair she was sitting earlier.

"So Juvia will tell you about her rain ,ok Gray-sama?", still no response, he was just silently staring at the ceiling.  
"The rain is following Juvia since she can remember, it's like part fo her, you know Gray-sama?", again there was only silence answering her.  
"Now it's raining all the time, but when Juvia was younger she could control it a little bit, that there were like one or two days that the rain was not dropping., but since Juvia obtained the gods power she couldn't do it anymore, but Juvia likes her wings, there are sooooo soft!", Death said.  
"Loke-san always says that Juvia will learn how to control it some day, but Juvia thinks that he is just saying Juvia what she wants to hear. Oh and Juvia has never seen the sky, even in the outer district of Hades the old buildings are covering every inch of sky, sometimes Juvia wonders how it looks, you must have a great childhood here Gray-sama. With all this sun and friends, that hold you dear." she finished, but still there was no response from him

Door have opened again. This time it was a little girl with dark blue hair. She looked at Juvia fear was present in her eyes,_ So she can see me,_ the goddess thought.

"May I enter?", Wendy asked,  
"Juvia gives you her permission", Juvia stated, she was a whole different person when she was not all alone with Gray.  
"Thank you", the Oracle bowed,  
"How are you feeling today Gray?", there was no response. She noticed the fresh bruises and blood stains on his shirt, but she said nothing about it.  
"I know that it must be hard for you, but I thought that you can enjoy some company or if you don't want I can just come by and check if you need something" , still nothing but the littl girl continued.  
"If you were wandering about Natsu and Erza they are fine, you know them each of them is coping with this all things in their own way. Natsu is running from the tavern to tavern starting fight as he usually do when he is sad, and Erza just dwells into her duties as the high priestess, so she won't have time to think about this whole thing. Oh and I was able to convince Apollo Guards that you don't need surveillance inside the room, so you should have some privacy before the trial will start.", nothing he was just staring at the ceiling.  
"Mmmm, if you don't want to say anything Gray then will se everything will be alright. Have a nice day goddess" Juvia nodded to her. When the door closed behind the Wendy, Juvia said.  
"That wasn't nice Gray-sama, she come all her way here to talk to you and you have say nothing.", she said not expecting him to answer.  
"There was nothing I could say", he replied to her surprise and went to sleep.

Gray was sleeping for two hours, when yet another knocking has taken place. The door have opened and there when Juvia saw her, a beautiful,young and blond haired maiden with big brown eyes she was wearing a loose white toga, woman eyes were focused on Juvia.

"Are you the death goddess?" , she asked they was some kind of hatred towards Juvia.  
"It seems so, and you are?", winged woman asked in return.  
"I'm Lucy Heartfilia, the high priestess of Aphrodite." girl said with firm voice.  
"Hmpf." was all Juvia said, she hated Aphrodite priestesses , they were all careless, and light headed and this one seemed no different.  
"Why are you here? These man doesn't need your services", Juvia hissed with venom in her voice.  
"His my friend, I came here to see how's he doing. Hello Gray.", she said again there was no response from Gray.  
"See he doesn't want you here, now be gone, you stupid priestess" Juvia really hated those Aphrodite servants, and for no particular reasons, they were just too pretty and noisy.  
"No..., let her stay", Gray said his gaze still on the ceiling.  
"So you can talk now? Good because I want to tell you something", , she get closer and slapped Gray in the face. Juvia was curious what would happened next.  
"What the hell you were thinkng Gray? Weren't we suppose to be friends? Why you don't tell us about this all thing, we could come up with something together, or at least we would stop you in time and you would't loose your limbs", tears were forming in priestess eyes.  
"This had to be done", he replied coldly.  
"Are you talking about your body being tear to shreds or Ur ending up giving her life for you?", she said ironically but before Lucy could realize what she said it was to late.  
"Get out!", he yelled at her.  
"Gray I'm sorry I didn't mean to..."  
"I said get out!", he yelled even louder this time.  
"Gray I said I was sorry there is no need for you to...", an arm pulled her back to the door with the great force.  
"Juvia think that you should leave. Now!" , she was giving Lucy the death stare.  
"But I'm his friend", Heartfilia was arguing with the goddess.  
"Juvia saw only one Gray-sama's friend here and it wasn't you, you stupid priestess", Juvia was starting to get impatient.  
"Wait did you just call hi-...", Juvia threw Lucy out of the room and slammed the door behind her.

"Juvia hates these priestesses, they are so annoying don't you think Gray-sama?", and again he was just staring in the ceiling, but before Juvia reached her chair he said one thing.  
"Thank you.", she blushed slightly at his words.

He thought it was all for this cursed day, he couldn't take any more of his friends, the guilt was just too strong for him to bear with. He jeopardize the whole city safety just for his own selfish needs, and there was also Ur. His master threw her life for him, just to seal the darkness in his heart, he had still the image of her glowing body shattering to pieces and becoming the purest ice before his eyes. But then out of nowhere certain man appeared, he was wearing a black coat, he had dark blue hair and a tattoo on the right side of his face, Gray didn't recognized him, but he saw that Juvia was shaking, _Strange_, he thought. Juvia knew this man, this was the Hades himself, she couldn't stop shaking, the mere presence of this man made her terrified. _What is he of all gods doing here, did Juvia has done something wrong?_, she thought.

"Hello Juvia. You can go now, I will have a little chat with the Icesmith", he said not even looking in Juvia  
"Umm... but Juvia is really willing to stay Hades-sama, it's not like Juvia has something else to do", she was trying to stay there, she wanted to be there with Gray.  
"I said go." he replied more firmly this time.  
"Y-yes Hades-sama" and just like that she phased through wall and was gone.  
"So who will got here, mister Fullbuster I assume correctly." , Hades said while he was making himself comfortable on a chair near Gray's bed.  
"What you want?" , he asked harshly.  
"Ooooo that's not how you should adress the King of the Underworld", Hades stated playfully.  
"As you can see there is not much I can really do in this state.", his eyes still glued to the ceiling.  
"Oh I know summoning a demon we were, eh? I must say Deliora was one of the strong ones, I still don't know how you accomplished such a great feat." god said a fake admiration in his voice.  
"That's none of your business. Say what you want and go back to your cursed city.", Gray replied harshly.  
"What if I say you that I can get your limbs back." Hades said, his gaze was set on Gray's face.  
"Tch ,I don't need them I will be dead in no time, so if that's all you wanted to ask go now" the Icesmith said he was adamant in his decision.  
"How about your master, what if I say that I can bring her back from that ice?" Hades was relentless.  
"Nice try, but it's impossible to reverse a a spell of sacrifice even by the gods" for the brief second there Gray's eyes widened.  
"You are right but there is an item, actually a sacred relic left by Cronus himself, an item older and more powerful than anything in this world", Gray was getting interested.  
"But is't he imprisoned in Tartaros beyond the nine demon gates?" the Icesmith asked, his voice was full of doubts.  
"Yes, but this item remained above the Tartaros. Tell me what do you know about Cronus Scythe mister Fullbuster.  
"It was the instrument he used to castrate and depose of Uranus", Hades nodded.  
"Yes and with the power dwelling in this item you will be able to bring back your master to her previous state." Gray was getting suspicious, so he asked.  
"And what you will have from it"  
"Ah, nothing special you will only swear your loyalty to me" , Hades stated matter-of-factly  
"Where's the trick?", Gray asked suspiciously.  
"Cautious aren't we? It means that if you will disobey me I will destroy you in an instant, nothing more nothing less, and you will be never able to enter the Elysium."  
"I need time to think this through" a smirk have appeared on Hades's face.  
"If you will make your mind, just tell Juvia and she will tell you what to do next", and just like that the mighty king of the Underworld was gone.

After a few minutes Juvia was back, still pale from previous encounter with Hades.  
"What Hades-sama wanted?", she was still trembling.  
"He made an offer", Juvia has get even paler.  
"And Gray-sama declined it of course?" she had concern in her eyes.  
"No... actually I'm thinking about it", Juvia rushed to his bed and leaned over him.  
"Gray-sama can't be serious! Even if Gray-sama will die in the nearest future it doesn't mean that he should accept Hades-sama offer, he's a wicked an cruel god, it was him who invented the spells of sacrifice."  
"But still if there is a way, that I can bring Ur back I'm willing to take all the risk", he said with all his determination that was left in his mutilated body.  
"Gray-sama will regret this, but Juvia has warned him", she said as she sat on her chair angrily.

Hades was sitting on his throne drinking strange liquid from his cup,  
"What a stupid fool that Icesmith is, mortals were always easy to manipulate. The Scythe of the Fallen God, this thing is able of completing greater things than mere inversion of the spell of sacrifice, with it I will be able to take over the Pantheon for myself, disposing of that stupid Laxus Dreynar."  
"And what you will do next?", a woman appeared behind Hades throne.  
"Next I will revive the oldest of the gods, the Uranus and destroy the mankind!"  
"It's a noble goal, I will lend you my hand, mister Fernandes"  
Hades hit the throne with his fist "I forbid you from calling me with that name, Jellalal Fernandes is no more, only the Hades has remained, Ultear."  
"Oh as you wish my lord", she said sarcastically  
"Don't you want find a way to bring your mother back?" he asked curiously.  
"I have no intentions to do so, she renounced of me when she found out that I killed Hera." her emotions were blank.  
"You sure are a scary woman", Hades stated.  
"Hahaha I'am, now there's only one man that I want to kill more than anyone in this world, Gray Fullbuster, the cursed Icesmith." that woman was mad,  
"You sure have a lot of luck, that Silver is still guarding the nine gate" he said with defiance.  
"Tsk, I'm not afraid of that old geezer."  
"Ooooh really? You are not afraid of the ice that was able to froze the flames of hell, I hear that he made himself quite comfortable there, even your magic would't be able move his ice forward." Hades was playing with his empty cup.  
"Exorcist Mage Silver of the Absolute Zero, he is one and only of his kind isn't he?Good that the son of his is so ignorant and short sighted, he can become troublesome in the future." he continued.  
"Don't worry Hades, the cursed boy will perish.", there was smile across her face.

Gray woke up in the middle of the night, something was lying on him, something annoyingly warm. He looked up and saw her, Juvia's head was lying on his stomach, her one arm was lying on his chest, her wings were spread that he couldn't see the ceiling anymore. _Death is truly beautiful_, he thought. Juvia woke up, when she opened her eyes and saw where she was resting, she suddenly jumped, and was blushing violently,

" Juvia is sorry Gray-sama, Juvia was tired and she must fall asleep when she was overlooking you"  
"There is no need for you to do that, I will be dead in no time, don't you remember that?", he said his voice was calm.  
"Y-yes but Juvia wants to make sure that Gray-sama will make it to the court-martial." again there was sorrow in her eyes.

The next day Gray was waked up by familiar voice.  
"It's time Gray, we should go know", Erza said, she was wearing her usual Heart Kreuz armor.  
"Tsk, ok just help me get on this damn wheel chair", Gray said angrily. Juvia followed them silently. She was curious about the whole trial, how it will look like and what will be Gray's sentence. When they reached the ground floor of the building, Gray could see that the eyes of the personnel or even the patients were filled either with fear or hatred towards him, after all he was responsible for all this chaos. The closer, they were to the exit, the louder the voices from the outside were, he was curious about them, and when the main door opened he saw them, his personal escort to the court, which was on the other side of the city. It was still raining.  
_The hell is this escort for? it's not that I can run from them or whatever_, he thought. But then it hit him, they were here to protect him from the angry mob, there were even banners that were saying 'Kill the Demon Offspring", "Death sentence for the Icesmith" or even "The End is near". Angry voices were chanting "Kill him! Kill him!" and "The gods demand blood of the cursed Icesmith." There was even some kind of thrash flying in his direction.

Erza eyes were sad, she was just pushing Gray's wheel chair, trying to not think about anything, just focusing her mind on that one thing: pushing the fucking wheel chair. When they were at last at the front of the carriage door she picked Gray up and sat him inside it, then she closed the door behind her and the carriage stared to move in the direction of the court. Juvia just flew behind them, her eyes were still set on the angry mob, that was demanding some kind of wicked payback with Gray's life.

**And yes I do like making the characters miserable.**


	6. Chapter 6 : Trial

**A big thank you goes to _lannyathewitch _:D  
**

They were in front of the courthouse, Gray was sitting in his wheelchair, he still had his blood stained shirt and the shredded pants. Erza was punching his wheelchair, she was wearing her Heart Kreuz armor, there was sadness in her eyes. Juvia had just land behind them and folded the black feather wings, she was in her black long dress. The rain has never stopped. And yet again the mob was blocking their way, but this time it was different, Gray saw the wicked smiles spread across their faces, as if his death was some kind of great blessing for them all. But still the mob didn't move, suddenly a wall of water appeared flushing the mob away, allowing Gray and his escort go right to the court entrance without hindrance. The building of the court was made from white marble, the big white crest of Themis was carved above the door. Themis was the blind goddess, the embodiment of divine order, law, and custom.

_The blind justice, heh?_, Gray thought, he was amused.

The room that the trial was taking place was rather big, but there was only one large desk, behind it were sitting four persons two of them were actually gods. Gray's wheelchair was placed in the center of the room, he was the cursed one after all. He was all alone there, no friends were allowed not even Juvia, the goddess of Death herself. On the left was the Archont of Olympus, Makarov Dreyar, he was a little but very scary man, he was one of the ten wizard saints, even if he didn't seem so, he was in possession of a tremendous power.

"Gray Fullbuster, the Icesmith you are accused of treason by jeopardizing the city safety by performing the Black Ritual, not to mention an attempt to cast a spell of sacrifice, that was banned long ago.", Makarov said old man's eyes were full of sorrow.  
"Do you admit to your guilt?", he asked. Gray said nothing his gaze was set at the floor.  
_You know that silence means admitting. Boy, just say something, give me a chance to get you out of this shit_, Makarov thought. But then Gray looked at the council and said  
"I admit. It was me who compromised city safety with the Black Ritual, it was me who summoned Deliora in the ranks of our city, and it was me who performed the spell of sacrifice." Makarov smiled, tears forming in his eyes. _So you are not a coward, I'm so proud of you boy., _old man thought.

But then the lightning struck Gray, not that it could kill him but still it was hurting him as hell. It was Laxus Dreyar, Makarov's grandson and current King of The Olympus.

"We should just kill him where he stands! He's nothing more than mere trash, this city doesn't need the likes of you, Icesmith. You're just a taint on this glorious city. Think about it, our society will be much more magnificent if we just can get rid of a trash like him.", Laxus held the power of lightning, the power of Zeus who he slayed himself, enhanced by his Lightning Dragon Slayer skills, he was nearly invincible, a truly god which no one could match not even the Hades himself.

"Yes a death seems an appropriate for a crime like this, but will a regular death be enough for a crime like this? He deserve something more cruel, something that will surpass the Divine Punishment he received earlier, but what can possibly match with its beauty. I must think! I must think!", crazy lady that has spoken was the high priestess of the Themis, Cythia the Mad, as she loved punish the damned and she was so cruel that there were even legends about her.

"Your fate is sealed young Icemith, you know that you were supposed to die in that park, but yet you convinced the Death somehow, it truly irritates me, no one should be able to ran away from his fate! No one!" it was the Nemesis voice, she was the goddess of fate.  
"But yet, we need to remember our other objective, my fellow council members", Makarov said, Gray was now curious about that whole other objective.  
"Say my boy, where did you actually learn how to summon demons?", he asked the Icesmith.  
"Tch, I've figured it out myself, it's not really that hard you know?" Gray replied ironically, but in an instant he was hit by another bolt of lightning, he coughed up some blood.  
"We can do it Gramp's easy way or maybe you want to try the hard way, huh?" Laxus said, he was sitting relaxed in his chair, his legs were on the council's desk.  
"Your fate is death Icesmith, so please cooperate or should I let Cythia take care of you first, hmmmm?", Nemesis said.  
"Yes!Yes!Yes! I'll tear his body apart little by little, strip his skin to see his perfect muscle. Mmmm I'm so excited. I'll play with you my new pain lover!", woman said she was blushing. Gray's eyes went wide that was something he definitely didn't want to.  
"I... I learned it from the book", the Icesmith replied, all of his courage just flew away.  
"What book, please specify. Was it a book from our libraries?", the Archont continued he was getting more and more curious.  
"No, it was a book that belonged to my father, previous captain of the Olympus Defensive Garrison, Silver. It had two golden hammers on the front cover." Gray simply stated.  
"Did you just said Silver, you brat?! We need to kill this Icesmith now, he's an abomination he was plaguing our sacred city for too long!", Cythia was dead serious and there was fear in her voice. Gray didn't know what was happening, for some reason whole council just get anxious, even the King was scanning Gray's appearances with his eyes.  
" You sure look like him", he said.  
"Do you know where you father is now?", Nemesis asked her eyes were dead serious.  
"My father is dead, he was killed alongside my mother by Deliora when I was ten years old." Icesmith said while he was replaying the whole accident in his mind.  
"Tch, you know nothing kid, but since you won't live for too long I will tell you a tale, a tale that even the gods have thought was a myth, but you prove wrong with just your very being", Laxus straighten up on his chair" Gray was lost he didn't know what was going on anymore.

"At the beginning of the time when the humanity was nothing more than a mere trash, a demon from Tartaros went loose, it wasn't some kind of cheesy demon, he was an invincible one, he was guarding the ninth gate of the Tartaros, the last gate before Cronos's prison. Apparently he was bored with his job, so he went to the Earth to destroy humans, he wasn't something massive as Deliora, he was a size of a regular human, but his power was beyond comparison, he could just easily defeat anyone even the gods would have trouble with him. When he was on his death walk a certain man approached him, a man with a silver cross like necklace just like yours. And he said to the demon that it's time to stop this unnecessary bloodshed, and they fought for ten days. But as you can predict human has lost and his soul was consumed by the demon. Tired demon returned to guarding his gate, but after a thousand years the soul of a man fought back, the demon was fighting with himself, tearing half of the Hades apart in his odd inner conflict, surprisingly the human soul has won the battle of wills, because he had something that demon doesn't - a human heart, and the abomination known as Silver was born. He tried to return to his homeland, to his beloved ones, sadly they were all dead, but he have found a woman, that has stolen his heart. And just like that he just vanished from the cards of the history, leaving no trace of existence."

Gray's eyes went wide , _Is this some kind of joke, it can't be it doesn't make any sense_, he thought.

"He was hiding well, but unfortunately Hades has found him and sent a certain demon to bring him back, you should know Deliora, right?" Laxus had an evil grin on his face. " The Nine Demon Gates of Tartaros, Silver of the Absolute Zero, the Exorcist mage, that were his names between the people, gods and demons. Everybody have known that he could have some kind of offspring, cursed with his demon powers, but to find out that you are here in front of us, son of Silver, the Cursed Icemith. You really have made us a great favor revealing your roots. Ha ha ha." the voice of evil laughter was echoing between the wall of the court room.

"Is... is my father alive?", Gray asked he was still in shock.

"Sure he is, he just abandoned you and your mother and ran to the Hades to do his original job, you were just unlucky to be born as a demon's son" Gray felt all kind of emotions at once, there was anger and hatred as well as despair. His whole world just got crushed. He was a son of a demon, a very powerful one. He spent last eight years training, preparing to fight the summoned demon, but he was one himself, it was like some kind of wicked nightmare, but sadly there was no way for him to wake up nor any kind of help.

"Look at him! Look at him! This sorrow, this pain I want him, I want him now, let me have him, I will cut him to the pieces, make him scream, taste his blood." Cythia said, she was back to her mad self, what is more she was blushing violently.  
"Someone calm this woman down, or I will make her mad talk stop by force. And you Laxus, there was no reason for you to say him that, don't you think a death will be enough for him, you just had to play with his mind, didn't you?!" Makarov yelled at his grandson.  
"Even a trash like him deserves to know the truth of his roots, it was an act of mercy" Laxus said.  
"It must be done, or else his threads of fate may change and he will live. Gray Fullbuster, the Icesmith, no I should say the Cursed Icesmith you will be executed tomorrow at night, an abomination like you should never saw even a ray of the sun before the death. " Nemesis said.  
"Yes!Yes!Yes! You will make a perfect trophy in my room, so precious, so handsome!, Cynthia said.  
"I did what I could, but here as an Archont of Olympus I call you guilty. Your sentence will be death. Do you have any last wishes?" Nemesis asked.

"Yeah I do have one, please sent a hammer to my cell." Gray asked some kind of determination was visible in his eyes.  
"HA HA HA HA, do you really think they will help you?!" Nemesis stood up and walked towards Gray.  
" There's no way mortal, you are tainted with the demon blood, but you can try if you want, it doesn't matter as long as I will see Death taking your soul to where you belong. To Tartaros!", everybody else except Gray and Nemesis were confused.

Gray was sitting on his wheelchair in the center of his cell. Juvia was there with him, she looked somehow concerned. She had no idea what have happened at the trial.

"Sooo can Juvia ask Gray-sama for what reason his last wish was a hammer?", she asked curiously while she was sitting on his bed.  
"Do you know how I earned the Icesmith title?" he responded with a question.  
"Ummm… no", she replied rather confused.  
"Every ice mage needs to find his form, his true inspiration that was what Ur was always telling us. My whole life I thought weapons were not only powerful but also beautiful in their form. I could remember them all and I was able to create any kind of weapon with my ice, they said that they were perfect and my fighting technique was unmatched as if gods have chosen me for their champion, and so they have started to call me the Icesmith."  
"Juvia doesn't understands", she was lost.  
"You will see in no time, just place this hammer near me", and she did as he said.  
Gray said just one sentence " Hephaestus and Ares please lend me your strength in this hour of need as your champion I recall you, the greatest of gods, come and aid me this one time."

And she felt it, a massive vibration and fluctuation of power, Juvia started to tremble, this reminded her of the aura that Hades was unfolding. And they appeared right in front of the helpless Gray, two of the greatest gods Hephaestus and Ares. Hephaestus has the appearance of the simple blacksmith, Ares on the other hand had a full golden armor and a you couldn't see the face hiding under his helmet.

"Why were you calling us Icesmith?", Hephaestus asked he was looking around curiously.  
"I need a favor to ask", Gray said with confidence, he wasn't intimidated by the gods presence.  
"Ah ha ha, a favor you say but why the gods should do you a favor?" Ares asked, he was amused.  
"I was once your greatest champion Ares, I fight with no remorse, I was relentless and never hid behind the shield, unless necessary, I have spilled the blood in your name and for your glory.", Icesmith said with no shaking in his voice.  
"I think that you are right..." Ares replied, he started to play with his beard.  
"And why about me, why you summoned me?" Hephaestus asked.  
"I need your help as well, the great Hephaestus. My weapons were always the finest and sharpest, they strikes were precise and deadly, but yet my opponents could see a hidden beauty in them. I have put my strength and soul in each of my ice weapons you can say that I was one with them." Gray said.  
"You are right young champion", they didn't even notice Juvia, she was like nothing to them and yet they were addressing the Icesmith with respect.  
_Who you really are Gray-sama?_, she thought to herself.  
"But since you're a demon blood., it will be hard for you to accept our blessing, it can be somewhat tainted with the power inside of you." Ares said, he was still playing with his beard.  
"I don't care. I just need one thing and the pain doesn't matter to me anymore." the eyes of Icesmith were determined.  
"So what it will be?" , Hephaestus asked.  
"I want my limbs back so I can go to the execution with my own legs, and face my accusers with my own arms, I want to hold my head high one more time, to die with dignity." Gray said, there were tears forming in Juvia's eyes.  
"That's a truly noble goal but it will be even harder to do so, since you taken the Divine Punishment, but there is a way to do it" Ares said.  
"But you need to close your eyes first" Gray was looking suspiciously at the two gods but he did as they said.

Suddenly he felt a great pain in his chest, it was too much for him to handle and he passed out, not even able to open his eyes one last time.

"Gray-sama! Why are you doing to Gray-sama?! Stop this, please he was already sentenced to death" Juvia was screaming frantically, unable to comprehend what has just happened.  
She was staring at Ares hand piercing right through Gray's chest her eyes were full of tears. _Did that man haven't suffered enough?_, she thought.  
"Calm down girl, he is not dead we needed to pull out his Core" Ares stated matter-of-factly.  
"C-core?" Juvia was sobbing.  
"Each human or even god, posses his own Core, it's something that contain all our powers, now Hephaestus will forge his Core into something useful, just sit there and watch woman." Her eyes were wide when Ares pulled out a little shiny thing from Gray's chest and there was no bleeding from it. No, it looked more like and shard, shard of the purest ice. The Blacksmith has took it and split it into four different parts, he picked up a hammer and started to forge the shard on an anvil that appeared from nowhere.

"Your wish will be granted champion, but your life from now on will be even worse, it was your call after all" Ares said as he sat on the bed in the cell.  
"C-Can Juvia help somehow?", Juvia asked sheepishly still sobbing.  
"You like this man don't you?" Ares said his question caught Juvia off guard.  
"N-no, wha-what makes you think like that?, she was blushing violently.  
"Hmpf, I may be a god of war but I'm no fool child. You spared his life, and you've never did this before. But it's none of my concern, just remember the path that this man has chosen..." he stopped for a while " there's only pain and sorrow on it."  
"Juvia knows... but she promised Gray-sama that she will allow him for the proper death that he deserves..." her eyes were full of sorrow now.  
"Indeed, the Icesmith has done us a great favors in the past, so we will repay him now. But young goddess you must remember that you can't protect him from himself, a man's pride is his greatest enemy, you must remember that." Ares said to her, but she hasn't understood it, for now.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Elfman could see the Olympus magnificent walls from their camp. They were so big, that they were ending where the clouds began, some said that there were Cyclops living on the walls just waiting to strike the unfaithful with the massive stones. But he wasn't scared, there was nothing on this world that could probably surprise him, this man has saw hell, he was practically a demon from Tartaros himself. He didn't really want to attack the city, but it had to be done in order for him to revive his little sister. Their camp was located behind a hill, five minutes from the wall, they couldn't make a fire in order to not to draw any attention to their current position, if Olympus Guards could find them they will be doomed and his whole plan would go to waste.

_Tomorrow, tomorrow at night it will be the end of the Olympus_, he thought.

Gajeel was lying in his tent, he couldn't sleep, he was too excited about the war. Finally he would had a chance to test his strength against worthy opponents, he even heard that there were other Dragon Slayers. He looked on his arm and the sentence carved on it.

_Maybe tomorrow I will find the answer I'm looking for_, he thought and got up from his bed.

He went outside his tent, the view there was quite terrifying. The 600 restless cursed Martyrs were waiting in some kind of stasis, they couldn't feel any pain or be injured by the common weapons, they were also resistant to magic in some way. Gajeel was also invincible, he wasn't just a Hades tool as the rest. As a Dragon Slayer he had also some other abilities, for example he had impenetrable skin, as the result of bath in Styx , but he could now make himself an iron skin, they feared him in that state, because he was mainly berserk when he was using it, and couldn't distinguish friends from foes. There was also a special ability, a blessing form Hades, but he didn't want to use it. It was more a curse that a blessing. He clenched his fist and looked at the Olympus wall one last time before he walked back to his tent.

**Next chapter will be uped tomorrow ;)**


	7. Chapter 7 : Ice Demon

**I will just update it today and take some rest.**

The guards that were in the charge of the main gate were chatting, relaxed, there was nothing going on in this city.

"Another lazy day, huh?", one of them asked  
"Yep, there is nothing to do, no one is stupid enough to attack our city" other one replied.  
"You are damn right!", and then a certain woman entered the room where forty guards were just relaxing, talking and playing cards. She had long black hair and scars all across her face, on her view they all stood up, straightened and saluted her.  
"What is it captain?", the closest one asked the woman.  
"Open the gate." they looked at her as if she was mad.  
"But why captain?" he asked once again.  
"I said open the gate" she stated more firmly this time  
"I refuse if there is no argumenta-..." and just like that he was ripped to shreds.

Woman has started to slaughter every single man in that room, when she was done she returned to her originally appearances, she had long white hair and beautiful face, she was perfect if not for the blood stains all across her body, Mirajane Strauss.

"You should have listen to me", she said when she destroyed the safety mechanism of the main gate, and just like that the mighty, impenetrable Walls of Olympus were open to everyone and everything which wished to come in.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

It was a rainy night, ground was muddy from all the water. The council member were gathered under the roof, they needed to witness and confirm the execution of Gray Fullbuster with their own eyes, there on their side was also Lyon with his assistant Chelia Blendy. On the other side of the courtyard were standing Gray's friends from left Erza, Wendy, Natsu and Lucy. They were all sad, waiting for the guards to bring their friend from his cell.

There was a loud crack and the gate has opened, they could see the two Divine Guardians in front but still there was no sign of Gray. When the guards have moved they saw him, they eyes went wide. The Icesmith was standing on his own, but he hasn't got regular limbs, they were make from something that looked like ice, which was merging with his body. His new hands and legs didn't even had human shape. His hands were reminding those of humans, but he had claw-like fingers and his his elbows had something like ice spikes coming from them, Gray was still handcuffed. His legs weren't ordinary either, his foots were closer to some kind of a beast than human with their claws, and there were also long ice spikes coming from his knees. He was now a true demon's offspring. The council stood there unaffected, but Lyon was looking at him with disgust while Chelia was hiding behind him, she was scared of Gray new appearances.

The only one laughing quietly was Natsu, he has known that Gray would somehow accomplish such a feat, but Erza and Lucy just had sad eyes; Wendy was just quietly sobbing.

Behind him was walking Death herself. He was walking to the scaffold, they were going to hang him. _Not a glorious death_, he thought. Surprisingly near the scaffold wasn't Cythia, the priestess of Themis, but the goddess Nemesis.

"I need to do it myself, you must be dead by any means necessary, Cursed Icemith", she said to him emotionless, and so she put the rope on his neck.  
"Any last words?" she asked ironically. Gray turned his face to Juvia, which was standing behind him, then he smiled and said just one little thing  
"Thank you." and Juvia lost it, she got closer to him, grabbed him by his shirt and kissed him in the eyes were wide open, he could feel her ice cold lips on his own, when she broken the kiss she was still blushing violently but she said  
"Th-that's a kiss from Death, it should ease your pain in your last moments Gray-sama...", tears and rain were mixing on her cheeks.  
"You are a disgrace for the gods" Nemesis said, pulling Juvia away from him.  
"And now I present you the Cursed Icesmith, he will be punished for his crimes towards the city", she continued a wicked smile was on her face.

But then when she was about to pull the lever a large explosion has taken place, it was so massive that the earth has shaken. A military courier ran to the courtyard, his face and outfit were covered in blood an he was yelling: "There was a traitor in our ranks, the city is under attack, Martyrs are in the city! Martyrs are in the city!"

All the people gathered on the courtyard rushed to the exit, while Divine Guardians were taking Gray off the scaffold, and then their saw it the city outer district was in flames.

"Put Gray back in his cell, Natsu, Laxus, Erza, Lyon you are going with me" Makarov said.  
"But he must be killed now!" Nemesis yelled.  
"The city is more important than him, don't you think?" Archont replied., Nemesis said nothing and she just vanished.  
"Lucy take care of Wendy and Chelia, just go with Divine Guardians and hide somewhere." Archont commanded.  
"Gramps I can help, just release me I can be useful!" Gray yelled while he was dragged by Divines.  
"No, Gray you are an enemy now, I'm sorry..." and they went to the outer districts.

Gray was sitting locked up in his cell, he was out of his mind.

"Fuck! I should go there and help them defeat the enemy." he punched the wall.  
"Please calm down Gray-sama, there is nothing you can do in your current state." Juvia was trying to calm him down.  
"Shut up! There must be something" he yelled at her.  
"Gray-sama you are tired and stressed please calm down a bit." she was getting worried.  
"No, no, no, no, you don't understand I must do something" he started to emanate cold , Juvia was getting concerned about Gray , he wasn't looking or even acting as himself.  
"Ummm... Juvia is getting really scared, soooo can Gray-sama stop this whole crazy thing?" she attempted to grab his hand but Gray was gone. His eyes were full with some kind of demonic madness.  
"Yes, yes the ice, ice was always an answer" he mumbled.  
"Gray-sama?" she asked, now she was really scared.

"Ice make: Gungnir" and just like that he created a colossal ice spear that destroyed the cell bars and the wall in front of them, but it was different from his earlier ice magic, know he didn't need to took a pose, the ice was just forming in his new cursed ice-demon hands. Mad man just went loose to the city looking for any opponent from Martyrs Army that he could kill for the sake of the city. Juvia panicked, she needed to find someone that could bring back her Gray-sama to his old self, but unfortunately she has known only one person and she hated that idea, but there was no other choice. She phased through few rooms and has found her.

Lucy was just standing there trying to calm down Chelia and Wendy, the Oracle was sobbing, she hated the violence and wars. Suddenly someone grabbed her.

"Juvia needs your help priestess." , Juvia said, there was concern in her eyes.  
"Oooh you don't tell.", Lucy replied nonchalantly  
"It's about Gray-sama, he... he went berserk" , tears started to form in her eyes.  
"So what are we doing here?! Let's move! Girls you just stay in here and you will be safe." she said to the two young maidens, and then they went to search Gray.

%%%%%%%

_Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck_ , Gajeel was cursing while he was laying on the ground, coughing up some of his blood, everything went smooth to this moment, the main gate was opened by Elfman's sister and they just slaughtered the citizens and the Olympus Defensive Garrison. But this man was a monster, he never would belive that someone like him could exist. In front of Gajeel stood a young well build man with a lightning like scar on his right eye.

"You give up trash?" he asked Gajeel.  
"Tch, there is no way I could give up to someone from Olympus" Iron Dragon Slayer replied bluntly.  
"That's a shame, you will feel the wrath of the Thunder God." , Laxus said emotionless. Gajeel stoop up and tried to attack his opponent one more time with his Iron Dragon's Sword but he was just too fast.  
"You can outrun the lightning. Lightning Dragon's Heavenward Halberd ", King hit him again.  
"Shit, I never thought that I will be forced to use it so early on, but I guess I have no choice.", Gajeel said, Laxus got suspicious and took defensive stance.  
Gajeel pulled a black dagger from a pocket in his pants and stuck it right in the center of his chest.  
"Da fuq are you doing? Are you nuts? You won't defeat me by killing yourself you damn Martyr." Laxus was confused.  
"Gihi, just watch.", and the dagger was pulled inside the Gajeel body but there was no wound nor bleeding.  
"What did you do?" King asked curiously.  
"I just used a little present that Hades gave me, now we will see if you can outrun the shadows" and he vanished into the shadows, Laxus was scanning the whole place but he couldn't spot him"  
"You are just hiding, like a coward!" he yelled.  
"Iron Shadow Dragon's Club" , Gajeel hit Laxus in the back, but when the God of Thunder turned around there was no one.  
"Iron Shadow Dragon's Fist" again King of Olympus was hit.  
"You have enough?" , Gajeel asked, certainty was in his voice.  
"Tch, I told you you can't beat the lightning." Laxus said as he was straightening.  
"Lightning Dragon's Slayer Secret Technique: Skywrath." and the lightnings were just striking everything there was nowhere that you could hide not even in the shadows, and so Gajeel got hit but he managed to use his Iron Shadow Dragon's Roar on Laxus and knocked him unconscious. Now Gajeel was on the run, he needed to find some place safe, where he could regenerate or lay low for a while.

_This fucking city is full of fucking monsters_, he thought. _A bookstore? Hmmm... nobody will be even searching in a place like this, this may be my chance, I will hide there and wait for the reinforcements to come_, he thought as he was opening the bookstore doors.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Natsu was fighting with Martyrs Army. They were indeed relentless as the legends said, but he was able to fight with them and beat them. At this time he had something like fifteen enemies on his counter, but he was getting tired even if he was a dragon's offspring there was a limit to his power. The Martyrs just kept coming and coming like there was no end of them, suddenly the situation get even worse, because he could spot some minor demons between them.

_Damn this whole thing is getting nasty, _he thought. Something has grabbed him by his tail, and started to pull, when he looked back he saw a demon trying to lift him up and smash him on the ground, but Natsu was too agile for a thing like this to happened. He simply outmaneuvered the demon and crushed its head with Fire Dragon's Iron Fist . But there was more and more of Hades troops, suddenly he heard a familiar sound, sound of the moving ice. When he looked around he saw some of the Lyon's creations as tigers and dragons blowing up on the touch and freezing the Martys in block of ice, he was a Main Strategist for some reason and this looked like one of them.

So Natsu has moved forward, and then he saw him the general of Hades Army, Elfman Strauss, but it was already too late for him to react giant lizard like hand grabbed him by his neck and started to suffocate him. Natsu was tired from previous encounters, so he managed to kick Elfman in his jaw before he nearly fainted, but it was no use, general was just too strong for Natsu now. Surprisingly his grip has loosen a bit and Elfman just dropped his opponent on the ground.

"I've no intentions of killing you, young Dragneel, so please just lie here and do not resist" was all he said, there was no strength left in Natsu's body and he just lied there, but he was watching carefully the direction in which Elfman was heading.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Juvia (with Lucy on her arms) was flying above the city they were searching for Gray, in his state he was a danger for the entire city and for himself as well. They found a big ice battlefield, a certain man was fighting there. They hid behind an old building and watched from the distance.

Gray was on a rampage he was destroying everything, the bodies of enemies as well as allies were just flying in the air.

"Ice make: Freeze Lancer " two more Martyrs dropped dead.  
"Ice make: Arrows" five more good men just died.  
"Ice make: Gungrin" a whole building just collapsed, another ten men were dead,.  
"Hahahahahahaha more give me more of them!" Gray was yelling, he was berserk.

Juvia and Lucy were terrified, they didn't know what to do, he was just to dangerous to come close to him but they needed to try. When they were in half way to him Juvia yelled  
"Gray-sama please stop this madness, it's not you!" he turned back to them his eyes were empty, like he wasn't in his body anymore.  
"Gray please contain yourself, you are hurting our men, for the gods sake stop this." Lucy said but still there was no reaction from him, he just stood in the middle of something that looked like some ice arena, his artificial limbs were making some kind of mist around him.  
"L-Lucy? Wha-what have I done? Last thing I remember is that I was in prison and then I have some kind of black hole in my mind." he sounded scared a little, but they were getting closer to him if they could just get a little closer.

Suddenly from the back of six floor building a gigantic ice dragon appeared and there was no one else than Lyon on it. He just swooped down on Gray, the girls nearly got hit.

"What's wrong with you Lyon? You could kill us!", Lucy yelled.  
"He's mine, there is no way he's getting away for what he had done!"  
"Lyon he was out of his mind, this must have been some kind of side effect of this new artificial limbs that he has, or the demon blood running through his veins."  
"No! I'm going to finish him once and for all." but then the ice that Lyon made just broke and there was standing Gray, he was back to his demon self.  
"I always wanted to do that, let us fight to the death!" and he rushed on the Lyon, with his claw like hand, his eyes were full of rage. _What have you become, Gray-sama?,_ tears were forming in Juvia's eyes, but she was dragged by Lucy to somewhere safe, where they could't get hit by the spells of the two ice mages.  
"So you have finally lost your mind Gray? No wonder you were always kind of mad." Lyon was mocking his opponent, he has sent some of his ice beasts to stop Gray's charge but they were useless, Gray formed an Cold Excalibur, a gigantic two-handed ice sword and was just chopping through Lyon's army.

"You're going to die here you pathetic excuse of an ice mage, you heard me Lyon?!" Gray changed to his Ice Bringer, they were two one-handed ice swords and when he was about to score a direct hit on Lyon he dodged and counter him with just one of his Ice Wolf fists, while he was making a gigantic ice tiger with another. The tiger jumped on Gray, attacked him savagely but he keep dodging his attacks, unfortunately Gray slipped and the tiger's jaws get him, monster has swallowed him.

"NO! Gray-sama!" Juvia yelled, tears were running down her cheeks.  
"Shhhh be quiet, it's not over yet." Lucy said.

And then the tiger let out a horrible roar as if something was tearing him apart from the inside, after a while it stood lifeless and his right side just exploded, inside the tiger was standing Gray with his Ice Canon.  
"No way! You should be dead, why won't you just die Fullbuster?!" Lyon yelled, Gray eyes were full of excitement, not the good one, more like he was possessed by some blood lusting demon, but before Lyon could cast another spell Gray was in front of him.  
"How the he-..." Icesmith has punched the Main Strategist in his stomach, Lyon fell on the ground.  
"You are going to die little mister strategist, I always hated you, you know?" and he put the end of his Ice Canon in front of Lyon's head, smiling like a mad man. Lyon closed his eyes.  
"Say hello to Ur in hell!", Gray yelled, but there was no big boom or anything, when Lyon opened his eyes he saw a stone coffin in front of him, there was only one man able to do such a thing.

Jura of the ten wizard saints, the Hermit, from Arcadia was standing on the roof of the last building that has remained in the area.

"Looks like things got pretty nasty here." he said, while Lyon was getting up.  
"Yeah, thanks for help, know we can finish this bastard of."  
"No, we can't, he must remain sealed in this stone or else he could go on a rampage again", Jura said.  
"Will Gray-sama will be alright?" Juvia and Lucy came out from hiding.  
"Hello Death goddess, and yes he will be ok for now... but we will discuss his fate in the incoming future" Jura returned his gaze to Lyon.  
"Now Main Strategist come with me, we must defend what is left of your city. You ladies stay here and make sure that he would not brake free." and they left leaving the two maidens alone in the frozen war zone.  
"Gray-sama are you there?" but there was only silence answering her.  
"He won't answer you" Lucy said with sad eyes.  
"Why? How you can know?" Juvia asked with anger.  
"Look around you if he remembers even a small amount of what he has done, he won't speak."  
"B-but it wasn't Gray-sama fault, he just tried to protect the city, it's not his fault that he is demon-blood." Juvia was trying to justify his actions.  
"But he wanted this artificial limbs, and that's probably why he was going crazy bananas here, he couldn't control his power, but yet he used it. " Lucy just sat down near the stone coffin.

Gray was sitting inside the coffin his head was down, tears running down his cheeks.

_I'm a monster, I'm a fucking monster I nearly killed Lyon, a person that is my only family, my brother, not to mention all of our soldiers I don't deserve to be alive nor to be dead..._ , he thought in the darkness.

Erza was easily fighting back the combined forces of the demons and Marytrs in her Heaven's Wheel Armor , she was the high priestess of Ares and Athena after all. Suddenly the attacks have stopped and all her opponents kneed, making room for a certain man to walk on the battlefield, he was wearing a black hood, so you could't really saw any of his appearances. She took her defensive stance when he started to walk towards her. When he was like five meters away from her he took off the hood revealing his blue hair and a tattoo on the right side of his face. Erza has instantly dropped her swords.

"Je-Jellal is that you?" she was shaking , her eyes were wide from the shock.  
"Yes it's me, long time no see Scarlet" he said a warm smile was present on his face.  
"I thought you were dead, where have you been all this time?" she let her guard down and rushed to hug him. That was her bigest mistake, at the very moment when she opened her arms Jellal stabbed her in the stomach with a dagger.  
"Jellal is dead young priestess, only Hades remained.", he said looking in the distance. Erza dropped to her knees, trying to stop the bleeding.  
"W-Why did you this to me Jellal, don't you remember me?" she asked him, unable to comprehend what just happened .  
"I said that your pathetic friends is dead woman, there is nothing left of him in this body." he kicked Erza in her face, and she was lying like that for the rest of the time.  
"Pick her up and bring back to my castle, I could use this priestess." a devilish grin was on his face. Erza body was dragged back to the main city gate, by some minor demons, she lost her consciousness.

Hades started to walk in the direction of the Heavenly Palace, that place was his primary target after all.

**Review?**


	8. Chapter 8 : Key

**Ram pam pam pam pa!**

Hades was standing in front of the Heavenly Palace, it was an vast building, but not to high it had only two or three floors. made from white marble, beautiful red columns were supporting each floor, on the hall's wall were majestic paintings presenting scenes from society history, some of them were big, other small. The palace had a big courtyard, it could hold around 350 people. It was truly a beautiful place, sadly it was going to be razed to the ground. Hades just sat on one of the stone benches around the main entrance to the palace and waited. First one to showed up was Elfman, he was the General of the Martyrs Army, he was walking up the main stairs leading to the palace, he had a few scratches, but nothing serious, he was Hades champion after all, it was unlikely for him to be defeated easily.

"Were there any problems, General?" Hades asked, not even looking on his subordinate.  
"No, not at all, the only thing worth noticing was that young Dragneel is here."  
"Oh is it really?" Hades looked into the sky.  
"Yes, I made sure that he will not interfere with our plan my Lord" Elfman said, bowing down his head.  
"Good, very good we don't want for your young sister to wait, do we?" he said with venom in his voice, Elfman has clenched his fists and replied "No we don't"

Next one to shown up was Mirajane, Elfman's older sister, she was in her Takeover form Satan Soul, she looked as a demon in that state, big leather wings, long black scaly tail and her forearms and hands received noticeable changes, becoming covered in scales and each sprouting a fin-like protrusion on its outer side, but as soon as she landed she was back to her normal self, she was wearing long red dress with ribbons.

"I'm here my lord." she bowed.  
"What took you so long?" Hades asked, he was looking carefully at her  
"I needed to defeat some of the local resistance." he replied politely.  
"How many?" Hades asked again.  
"About a hundred."  
"Hah! That's my sister!" Elfman smirked.  
"Let us go there is no time to waste, we need to find what we came for." Hades stood up, and the the three of them entered the courtyard through the main gate, on the center of it was standing a little man. He's was wearing a white coat.

"Stop right there Hades", but they ignored the little man words.  
"Or? What can you do, little man?" , Archont transformed into his Titan form, he was so big that his shadow was covering whole courtyard.  
"You will perish Hades, return back to your kingdom." Makarov said.  
"I don't think so" Hades removed his coat revealing some kind of special suit.  
"And you think you would be able to defeat me with some fancy clothing?" Archont was teasing him.

"Naaah, wait a second and you will see, Strausses move back a little, you will be useful so I don't want to accidentally kill you." Makarov hit Hades with his giant fist, but surprisingly giant hand was easily blocked like it was weighting nothing. Hades just smirked "Meteor!" and with lightning fast speed he hit Makarov's jaw multiple times.

"How can it be that you are so fast?!" Makarov asked the Lord of Underworld confused.  
"You see Jellal's body is really useful he was the one that invented Heavenly Body Magic after all., ut that fool wanted something from me, and I took his body in as a payment."  
"You truly disgust me, there's no forgiveness for what you have make to this city, to my children I will kill you in this instant." Makarov said as he was putting his hands together before his face, he was back to his normal size.

"Fairy Law!" and the massive flash of light took place, lighting the whole palace.  
"Nice flash, but now you die." Hades stood unharmed by Makarov's spell.  
"B-but how?! You should be dead!" Archont was shocked.

"Fairy Law, it's a magic that recognizes enemies by the user's heart, your problem is that deep in your heart you don't think that we are your enemies. You think that Jellal can be saved somehow, because you know how much he has meant to Erza, and you are right there is a way but it's none of your concern. Oh and you can't forget about the Strauss family do you?" Hades was smiling, coming closer and closer to the old man.

"You bastard! You have tricked me!" Makarov yelled at him, he was nearly out of magic energy so he tried to cast his last spell, but it was to late for him "Meteor!" and just like that Hades hand pierced right through Archont little body.  
"Oh yes I had, and you know what? It feels great to see Archont of the Olympus Makarov Dreyar defeated like a child he always was." Hades had that scary smile on his face.  
"They will avenge me, my children... they will have justice.." , old man was coughing up blood.  
"And you are talking about...? Your precious grandson lies unconscious, Icesmith is already possessed by the demon, Dragneel was taken care of and I'm taking your beloved scarlet haired high priestess with me. Oh we will have so much fun! Now is there anything else you want to tell me? No? That's a shame, you now?" he pulled his hand out of the Makarov's body.

"I think that was unnecessary Lord Hades", Elfamn said.  
"Shut up! We have no time left, with that damned Fairy Law all of our troops were decimated, we need to hurry.", he said as he was entering the main part of the place.  
"Now where I would be if I were a key to Tartaros gates, any ideas?" Hades asked he was calm again.  
"Maybe in the throne hall?" Elfman suggested.  
"No it would be too simple, it's somewhere else, somewhere like... I know" Mirajane rushed to the statue representing the ninth demon of the Tartaros, she could see some kind of hidden stash beneath it.  
"Uoh, really clever from their side, let me open it." Elfman put his hand of the pedestal and the stash has opened.  
Are you kidding me?! There's nothing here, where is that damn Key?", Hades rushed to them and saw an empty hole it was in a shape of cross-like necklace. His minded drifted away to the day when he met the Icesmith in his hospital room.  
"I know where it is, we need to find this Cursed Icesmith, spread out and go, there is no time to waste you fucking morons!" Lord of the Underworld yelled at them. And Strausses did as he said, Mirajane flew in her Satan Soul form and Elfman changed in some kind of cat-like demon, he was moving with high speed.

_Damn it, I had it in my hands back then,_ Hades thought but before he could use the Meteor spell once again, to search for Gray, he was hit in the back of his head with someone's knee.

"You will die you fucking scum, I will take your life in exchange for my gramp's!" Laxus yelled.  
"How the fuck?! You supposed to be unconscious" Hades replied angrily.  
"Fairy Law is something that cleanses evil and gives us the power to stand up, somebody like you won't understand it!" Laxus was mad.  
"It doesn't matter I know where the Key is now it's just a matter of time." Hades relaxed a bit.  
"Time my ass! Lightning Dragon's Roar!" Laxus attacked with all the rage gathered inside him.  
"Meteor!" Hades dodged and begin his counterattack "Grand Chariot!" a thousand projectiles dropped from the sky each had the strength of a little meteor "Now lay low and don't get up ok?" Hades said, he was getting cocky.  
"Tch, you'll never learn. No one can outrun the God of Thunder" Laxus appeared behind Hades back out of nowhere "Lightning Dragon's Breakdown Fist!" he hit Hades and he hit him hard, his opponent just flew limply.  
"You pathetic piece of shit, I will fucking destroy you." Hades put his hands up in the air and started to gather energy "Altairis!", he sent a huge ball of gravity energy in the direction where Laxus stood.  
"Too slow, you need to keep up with me to even stand a chance, you know?" he was just behind him and kicked him in the back and backed off a little bit , Hades was getting really irritated at that moment

"Tch, there is a thing that even lightning can't outrun, you know that?" Laxus was concerned about Hades words  
"I will show you, but unfortunately this whole city will go extinct. I will find the Key anyway, it's indestructible, so whatever."  
Hades bowed down and pointed his hands downwards, with all the fingers closed except the index and middle fingers, then began to slowly move his right hand until it pointed upwards. The clouds above begin circling around, forming a cyclone. _Shit! Looks like we are in some trouble and I don't have any magic left, this guy is just crazy_ Laxus thought, but right back then behind Hades a woman has appeared.

"My lord we must retreat, we know now where the Key is so it's pointless to risk our plan for something like this."  
"Yes, yes you are right" Hades calmed down, the sky was clear once again.  
"Mira? Mirajane Strauss? Is that really you?" Laxus asked shocked with what he just saw.  
"Laxus..." her eyes were full of sorrow and just like that, she and Hades disappeared, leaving the mighty Thunder God, where he stood.

%%%%%%%%%

Gajeel entered the bookstore, and scanned the whole place with his eyes, there was nothing suspicious there, so he tried to hide somewhere in the store, when suddenly something hit him in his head, he felt dizzy for a while but he managed to turn away. He saw a tiny girl with blue hair tied up with a colorful bandana around her head, she was wearing an orange dress, and holding a book.

"Get out of my bookstore you monster!" she yelled at him.  
"Whoah, whoah, whoah shrimp, just cool do-..." another hit with a book this time right in his face, Gajeel was caught off guard. This time he was angry, he will simply defeat her and just try to catch some rest here was what Gajeel thought, but strangely he was unable to make a move.  
"What is this shit!?" he yelled in frustration.  
"Hmpf, monsters don't have the right to talk" she replied, pointing out her tongue.  
"I'm telling you little shrimp that I'm not a friggin monster!" Gajeel was getting really irritated.  
"Bla, bla, bla stupid monster, just shut up." she was clearly teasing him.  
"Grau! Imma tear you to shreds, you little shrimp!" the Iron Dragon Slayer was now furious

_BAM!_ another hit with the book.

"Stop calling me a shrimp, you monster!" she yelled at him. _Okay I need to play this cool, or I will be trapped here forever with this damn girl, or even worse Hades will find me and just kill me, think Gajeel! Think!_, he thought and took a deep breath.

"Ok so let us start again, my name is Gajeel Redfox and you are?" he started calmly.  
"I'm Levy, Levy McGarden I'm the owner of this bookstore." girl replied politely.  
"And may I ask how you managed to seal my movements?" he was curious about it.  
"Oh this? This was easy since I'm the Royal Runemaster." she stated matter-of-factly.  
"You are what shrimp?!" and there went another hit right in the top of Gajeel's head.  
"I'm the Royal Runemaster you moron and there is no way that you can escape my runes." even that she was petite she sounded confident.  
"Gihi let us find out", he stood up and straightened "Iron Dragon's Sword" nothing, "Iron Dragon's Scales" his whole body was covered with iron scales "Iron Dragon's Hard Fist" still nothing.

"Da fuq is with those runes?! Why won't they break?!" Gajeel was back to his angry self.  
"I said you before, I'm the Royal Runemaster and I make the principles that allow people to cross the borders of my runes. You will be held captive for now, and my runes are hiding your magic signature, so they won't find you either, just sit down and relax, you are an Olympus prisoner now." Suddenly the white light has blinded them both, but it wasn't present in Gajeel rune restricted zone.

"And it seems that I just saved your life you stupid monster." she stated.  
"What are you talking about?" he asked confused.  
"You saw that light?" Levy asked him.  
"Yeah." he nodded.  
"That was Fairy Law, you would be dead in an instant, but my runes have protected you, I guess you will be in my debt now." her gaze was turned to the window.  
"Tch , I guess so..." he said resigned.  
"Now if you ask nicely I will give you some tea." Levy said cheerfully.  
"There is no fucking way that I'm going to ask nicely, you shrimp!" and again a book hit Gajeel right in his face.  
"You are a stupid monster after all! I should just take all the air from your rune cage!" she started to manipulate the runes that were surrounding Gajeel.  
"Whoah don't be so rush, as far as I know I'm the only one left here, so I'm your only source of information right now." he was a little scared.  
"You may be right... I will spare you for now, let the court decide on your fate." and she opened a random book and started to read it.

%%%%%%%%%%%%

Gray was still stuck in that damned stone coffin, but he was no longer a mess, he was trying to made himself some way out from his prison,but he decided not to use any ice magic, since this was apparently the reason he had gone berserk earlier. He was just trying to crush the stone with his bare demon hands, because he felt no pain in them. On the other hand it was an irony for him, he lost his limbs trying to defeat the demon, yet he was a demon himself, he get his limbs back with the help of gods but in the end those cursed limbs made him berserk. He punched the stone wall one last time, helpless, suddenly he hear some kind of mumbling on the other side, he moved closer to the wall and eavesdropped.

"Natsu you can't do it!" Lucy was yelling.  
"Shuuuush Luce I'm going to do it." Nacu said certainly.  
"Gray-sama, if you can hear us please back off!" Juvia yelled.

_Da fuq there are talking about?_, Gray thought but it was too late, Natsu already managed to break the stone wall of the Gray's coffin, a lot of dust was in the air.

"You stupid bastard what were you thinking?!" Icesmith yelled at Natsu.  
"Really you don't need to thank me." he replied.  
"Gray, you are okay" Lucy hugged him.  
"Yeah I'm guess I'm fine..." he said sheepishly.  
"Juvia is glad that Gray-sama is back to his normal self."  
"But Natsu how is it that you are here instead of fighting the Martyrs?" Gray asked.  
"I lost... but he spared me, somehow he's known who I am, but that's irrelevant for now we need to go and help gramps I saw that their were going to the Heavenly Palace, they must be something in there that they want..." but before he could finish someone interrupted him.  
"Wait, wait, wait, YOU LOST?! How we will be able to defeat them if YOU have lost to them?" Lucy was scared.  
"Tch, I was drained from my previous fights, as I said earlier we need to help gramps, are you going with me Gray?" he turned to him.

"I don't know if I should, I mean I may go berserk again..." Gray was uncertain.  
"Nah, that's actually good we can use you in that state and kick their asses" Natsu smiled.  
"Hah, if you put it this way, how can I refuse?" Gray was feeling better now.  
"Juvia will go to, she want's to help!" Death goddess said.  
"Ok so lets g-..." Natsu stopped, some kind of light was coming their way.  
"So the gramp has used it after all I guess we shouldn't be worry about the Fairy Law." but when Natsu finished his sentence Gray dropped to his knees, and started to coughing up blood.  
"Wha-what's going on with Gray?" Lucy asked, she was scared. Gray started to vomit and was now on all fours.  
"What did you do to Gray-sama?!" Juvia yelled anxiously.

"I don't know, ok? Fairy Law should spare all that gramps considered good in his heart. Unless..."  
"Demons... It has to be some kind of taint that Gray is carrying within him." Lucy said sadly.  
"Will Gray-sama be all right?" , Gray was breathing heavily it looked like his problems ended but he was now the weakest person in the city.  
"I... I will be ok" and he started to cough up blood again.  
"Juvia will take Gray-sama to Wendy and Chelia, they should be able to patch him up." her voice was full of devotion.  
"Are you sure?" Lucy asked.  
"Yes, priestess Juvia is sure. Now go!" Lucy and Natsu went in the direction of the Heavenly Palace.  
"You should have left me and go I'm nothing more than a demon's spawn now." he said with the little strength which he had left.  
"No, Gray-sama. For Juvia y-you are something more" she said blushing. And so she picked him up and flew to the place where Gray's rampage began, to find Chelia and Wendy and most importantly to help him. Silver necklace was hanging on his neck.

%%%%%

Hades was back in his palace, Strauss sibling were standing behind his throne.

"It look's like we have lost Gajeel in the fight." Elfman said.  
"He was expendable." Hades stated emotionless.  
"What we'll do about that Icesmith and the Key?" Mira asked.  
"You shouldn't worry, he will come to us." her Lord replied.  
"But why he would do such a thing?" Elfman asked, he was curious.  
"To save his precious friend." Hades approached a room that was next door to the throne hall, in th big royal bed was lying a certain scarlet haired woman.  
"You won't restraint her movements my lord?" Mira asked.  
"There is no need to do so, she wouldn't harm her old friend's body." and he was back on his throne planning his next moves.

%%%%

In the heavenly Palace Laxus was trying to stop Makarov's bleeding.

"Hold on gramps, everything will be alright, don't you dare die on me, you heard me?" Laxus was shaking.  
"Cough! I think it's my time grandson..." Archont started.  
"You know nothing you old geezer! You can't just leave this whole mess on my head." God of Thunder was practically yelling at his grandfather.  
"Hah, Laxus my boy, you are a King of Olympus after all, you will handle such thing as managing the city. So now with my power I appoint you the new Archont of this city. Try to hold on kid..."  
"Gramps? Gramps?!" Laxus was in disbelief.

"We came as fast as we could, wha-..." Natsu stopped.  
"Gramps is he?" Fire Dragon Slayer clenching his fists.  
"Yes" Laxus replied, Lucy started to cry.  
"They will pay for this" Natsu was unfolding deadly aura.  
"Oh yes, they will pa.y" and the lightnings started to strike from the heavens.

%%%%

Levy was looking out of the window.

"I guess it's over now. I can go get some help and move you to the jail" petite girl said.  
"Yeah, it looks like they left me behind" Gajeel said resigned.  
"You will be a fine acquisition for our interrogation corps I hear they can be rough" Levy looked at him, Gajeel straightened up " You don't know what I have endured so far, so I think they won't be a challenge for me."  
"You sure are confident mister Redfox" Levy smiled to him.  
"Sure that I am, there nothing else left for me" and she left, leaving him alone in her bookstore.

%%%%%

Juvia has finally found the two girls that were hiding in the court building. She was holding now unconscious Gray on her arms.

"Oracle can you help Gray-sama?" she had tears in her eyes.  
"What happened to him?" Wendy asked.  
"He got hit by Fairy Law." Juvia put Gray on the nearest bed.  
"Fairy Law? That's impossible." blue haired girl said with disbelief.  
"He's a demon I knew it! Get him out of here he is a disgrace for our people" Chelia yelled, her eyes were full of fear, she has feared Gray from the time she saw him in the hospital.  
"No he's my friend we need to help him." Wendy said firmly.  
"Juvia begs you, please help him." she dropped to her knees tears, were running down her cheeks.  
"I will do my best, goddess" Wendy said, she was getting ready to start the healing procedure.

After a while they started the treatment, Juvia was sitting near Gray's bed, she was holding his demon hand and promised to herself that she would never let it him go.

**Listening to Rudimental - Waiting All Night feat Ella Eyre. Review plox!**


	9. Chapter 9 : Leave

**Going to watch new Thor today!**

Gray woke up in infirmary, he was still feeling dizzy an confused, the last thing he could remember was Juvia and her concerned face. He turned his head to the left and saw her, she was sleeping on the chair, her wings were folded. Juvia's head was hanging limply, she was clearly sleeping, but one thing has drawn his attention. She was clinging his demon-like ice hand as if her life was depending on it, but he couldn't feel anything, there was no warm nor touch. He felt something in his chest, some kind of pain but it wasn't physical it was more like emotional pain, because there were things that he wouldn't be able to do ever again, such as feeling someone's hand in his own.

"Gray-sama..." she mumbled. Gray looked at her with curiosity, she was apparently dreaming.  
"Gray-sama, please don't do this, Juvia begs you." he was getting more and more interested with her dream. "NO!" he yelled waking up, she looked at her hand, then at Gray and blushed violently. After a while she took her hand back, a light shade of red was adoring her cheeks.  
"Bad dream huh?" he asked, his gaze was set on the ceiling.  
"Umm... yes..." she replied sheepishly.  
"What was it about?" Icesmith asked.  
"Erm... It was... It was about Juvia. Yes! She was falling down into the black pit." she said, clearly lying, Gray had no clue why the goddess was lying to him, but he thought that he would't investigate it, not now.  
"Juvia must conduct Archont's soul to the Elysium, so she will be gone for some time. Please don't do anything rush Gray-sama", she asked pleadingly.

"Ar-Archont Makarov is dead?! Why didn't you tell me earlier I must go. NOW!" all colours were drained from Juvia's face, _Stupid Juvia! You shouldn't tell him! _, she thought but it was too late. Gray was trying to get up from his bed, but he was still too weak, in additon Juvia was trying to keep him in bed with her hands.

"Gray-sama you can't go, not in this state, you will die half way to the Grand Graveyard." she was trying to reason with him.  
"Let me go!" he yelled, and in that moment she felt it a familiar feeling. His demon limbs were emanating that scary mist.  
"I said let me go!" Gray pushed Juvia so hard, that she stopped on the wall his eyes were once again full of anger, Juvia was scared, she didn't know what to do.  
"Oracle! Oracle please come here, I need some help!" and the door opened, there was a young blue haired girl standing in them.  
"What happened, goddess?" Wendy asked before she could notice that Gray was back on his feet.  
"Gray, you need to calm down and lay down, can you hear me Gray?" but there was nothing, person standing in front of her was not moving, he was just heavily breathing.  
"I... need... to... go..." he mumbled with his voice, but he didn't sound as Icesmith's usual voice.  
"I will give you know a medicament and you will be free to leave, ok?" Wendy said, while she was getting closer and closer to Gray with she was close enough she pricker his arm and injected him with some kind of sedative. Icesmith started to feel dizzy again.  
"What you have done to me?!", he yelled.  
"I just injected you with a very strong sedative, you will sleep for some time" Wendy replied, but Gray managed to turn in Juvia's direction.  
"I... I hate you" he said pointing at her with his finger and then he just fell on the ground.  
"Goddess please help me put him back in his bed" Wendy asked.  
"Yes..." Juvia replied absent minded. Short after that she has left to do her task. When she was high in the air she started to cry, tears were running down her cheeks mixing with the rain that was following her that whole time. "Gray-sama hates Juvia..." Death sobbed and that was all she was able to say through her tears.

Juvia waited until the Makarov's funeral ceremony ended, she didn't want to be caught in some internal Olympus affairs, because of the priestess that could see her or to confront Laxus Dreyar in his state now, if the man would saw that she was taking his grandfather soul away he could go berserk, the same way that Gray went in infirmary. After checking that the place was empty, she got closer to Archont's grave, there were a lot of flowers and candles, it was a sad but beautiful at the same time. Juvia used her powers and the soul of the old Dreyar came out from his grave.

"Ah, so you came quickly as I can see goddess." Makarov greeted her.  
"Yes, Juvia will get you to the Hades in no time Grand Archont." she said with respect, because he was a respectable man his whole life.  
"Please just call me Makarov, there is no need for formalities now, but can I ask you one question?" he said politely.  
"Yes, Juvia doesn't see any contraindications." she nodded.  
"Is my grandson holding well?" Archont was looking in the cloudy sky.  
"Yes, he is in big grief, but he is holding well." Juvia smiled to the wizard saint.  
"That's good to know", Makarov smiled back "Now, let us go." he ended the conversation.

And they went to the Tartaros, when Juvia opened the gate there was Cerberus guarding it. But Makarov wasn't scared of the giant three headed dog, so Juvia played with her beloved puppy for a while, when he recognized her and was back to his normal size, there was no need for them to hurry, she has got all of eternity. When they reached the place where Charon was usually set sail with the souls of the dead, old man started a really strange conversation.

"What you think about Gray?" Makarov asked, his eyes were set on some point in the distance. Juvia blushed slightly but answered to his question.  
"Juvia thinks that Gray-sama is a good man and a great mage,but... but he said that he hates Juvia" she saddened.  
"Oooooh he wouldn't ever said something like that, are you sure goddess?" Makarov kept asking.  
"Juvia doesn't know for sure, he looked like he was under the influence of his powers again." she replied.  
"I knew it." Archont's face became serious.  
"You knew what Makarov?" Juvia was becoming suspicious.

"You see goddess, nobody besides the Council and Gray know it but his father was actually the Ninth Guardian of the Tartaros" Juvia paled.  
"Are you implying that Gray-sama is Silver's son?! That's impossible! If this is true he should be a deformed monster which doesn't resemble a human being in any way!" she yelled.  
"I think so too. Have you saw anything odd about him when he went berserk?' Juvia has thought for a while "These ice limbs of his... they are making this strange mist when Gray-sama is using his Ice Magic and his eyes, there are entirely different, it's like his not in his body anymore."  
"Damn... it's just as I feared. You see young goddess it looks like when he uses his Ice Magic, the demon power that dwells in him takes control over his action, it's like some kind of poison that affects your mind." he explained to her.

"Will Gray-sama be okay?" Juvia asked worried.  
"Yes and no." he replied mysteriously.  
"Juvia doesn't understands." she was getting confused.  
"You see if Gray won't use his power for a longer period of time he should be fine and back to his old self, but if he uses it too much his demon powers will consume him, and there won't be such a man as Icesmith anymore, his body will go through transformation and he will become a demon, a very powerful one which has to be slain in an instant or else he will destroy the world that we know. In fact the best option is to slay him now." Juvia was terrified with his words

"Didn't you suppose to be someone like grandfather for all the people living in the Olympus?" she was beginning to fear the wizard saint.  
"Yes but as an Archont I was always putting the city safety over everything else." he replied in his defense.  
"Juvia thinks that she should go now, Charon will be here in no time." she was about to flew away when Makarov has spoken.  
"You can't safe him no matter what, he's cursed by the fate and..." he stared but his speech was interrupted by Death.  
"Juvia believes that's fate is something that everybody can choose by themselves." and she was gone.

It took her few minutes but she was in front of her and Loke's hut. It never stopped amazing her how magically big and elegant it was inside of it. Loke was sitting in his favorite chair, with lion head on its bolster.

"I hear that you made a new friend out there, Gray was it?" he was looking seriously.  
"Umm... yes." she replied sheepishly.  
"And I assume that you're aware whose son he is?", Loke was keeping asking hard questions for her.  
"How do you know that?" she replied curiously.  
"Na-a-a-a I'm the one asking questions here." he wagged his finger at her.  
"Yes, Juvia is aware." she bowed her head.  
"Do you want to do something about it?" Loke asked curiously.  
"Juvia... Juvia doesn't know, ok? Juvia gets this weird feeling when she's near him it's like the rain is about to stop, and she feels a strange grudge towards that Aphrodite's high priestess, especially when she's near Gray-sama." she was blushing and playing with her wings.

Loke just smiled to her.

"Looks like Death has fallen in love, I was thinking that I will never see it."  
"Lo-Love? Juvia doesn't love Gray-sama!" she was blushing even more.  
"Yeah, yeah sure you don't" he was teasing her. "But if you want to help that Icesmith of yours, who is actually in the center of everybody interest, you should take him to Elysium, there they will help him." he said  
"Elysium is Loke-san nuts? There is no way that someone will be able to enter there without a help of... oohhhhh Juvia sees know. She will take Gray-sama to the Elysium and remove his curse." he was getting more and more confident.  
"That's my girl, now tell me how this Aphrodite priestess looks like, I hear that they are really beautiful and..." he started but Juvia interrupted him  
"No! Juvia refuses to talk about that stupid priestess, she's Juvia's rival now!"  
"Whoah whoah whoah girl, don't get so psyched or else you will need a treatment yourself" Loke was trying to calm Juvia down.  
"Yes, Juvia is sorry she get a little carried away" she sat on the couch and Loke just smiled to her.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Back in the hospital Laxus was prying each and every door in there, he was searching for Gray, it was all his fault and what was more he was a threat to the whole city, but Wendy wouldn't tell him where he was.

"Laxus please stop, you will ruin the whole hospital!" girl was yelling at him.  
"I don't care about it, but you can just say me where he is so I won't need to tear this whole place apart." he was threatening her.  
"I can't, Gray is my friend" she was avoiding eye contact with Laxus.  
"Yes a friend, who nearly killed half of our forces and the Main Strategist, he's a friggin demon, just say where he is and I will take care of him. I command you as the King of Olympus."

"He's in the room 365B..." she said, her head bowed down.  
"You made this city a great favor Oracle." and he was gone in the blink of an eye.

Laxus was standing in front of the door with label "365B", he pushed it and entered the room. There was only the Death goddess inside. She was sitting on the floor her back pressed on the wall, she was hiding her face in her hands, but you could hear that she was crying.

"Where the fuck is Icesmith?!" Laxus yelled, she raised her head, her eyes were red.  
"Juvia doesn't know,ok? She went back here from Hades and he was already gone."  
"You are lying! There is no fucking way, that you wouldn't know where that demon spawn went." She stood up spread her black feather wings and grabbed Laxus by his collar, tears were still running down her cheeks.

"I told you that I don't know!" Juvia was so angry that she even used first person, but after a moment she realized what she was doing and she let him go and apologized "Juvia is sorry." Laxus was shocked sith her reaction,  
"Tch, I guess that you speak the truth, but I remind you that's your duty to catch him and bring him to me, he needs to die and faster means better."  
"Y-yes", he was the King of Gods after all after that grim reminder he just vanished.

She was back to sitting on the floor and crying. Juvia couldn't understand why Gray has left and where he could possibly go in his state, it just didn't make any sense for her.

"Um... can I come in?" Wendy asked shyly.  
"Yes... , please come in Oracle." Juvia wasn't crying anymore but her eyes were still red. Wendy just sat near the Death goddess and they were sitting like that for a while, surprisingly Juvia was the first to broke the silence

"Do you think Gray-sama will be alright?" she asked the little girl.  
"I don't know, but he is a tough man, I mean he endured so much for example the Divine Punishment, he was possessed by the demon powers and he lost someone that was like a mother to him. He is strong." Wendy said trying to cheer the goddess up.  
"Juvia knows that Gray-sama is strong but she is afraid of his sanity, being alone at a time like this can change you." she said resigned.  
"He will be ok. If we can just find him before Laxus or Hades..." and the silence was back. Two girls were just sitting on the floor and thinking about what the future would bring.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Gajeel was locked down in some kind of secret prison, he didn't know where exactly because they kept a bag on his head during the transport from the bookstore. He was bored as hell there was nothing to do in his tiny cell, so he was just laying on the bed and staring at ceiling, he was still handcuffed. Suddenly there was some kind of noise on the other side of the door and they have opened after a short time. In the door frames was standing a Divine Guardian.

"Prisoner number 53, Gajeel Redfox, please follow this unit." he said emotionless. Divine Guardians were reminding the Bloodseeker about Martyrs, their minds and hearts were equally empty.

"Ok, ok I will follow you" and they were going through the dark long hallway, there were many cells but most of them were empty, mainly because Olympus City hadn't any real enemies. On the end of the corridor Gajeel noticed a suspiciously looking door, apparently it was his destination point. Guardian opened the door and let him inside. Gajeel looked around, it was a very bright room, the walls there were white, in the center of the room was standing a table and two chairs, there was also other door and a large mirror.

"Please have a sit" a voice from nowhere said, so Gajeel has sat relaxed, placing his shoes on the table. The other door opened there was a man standing in them, he had a spiky white hair.  
"I'm Lyon Vastia, the Main Strategist of Olympus." he presented himself while taking a seat on the other side of the table.  
"And I'm Princess Cinderella nice to meet you" Bloodseeker replied sarcastically.  
"Oh sarcastic, aren't we?" Lyon stood up and walked closely to Gajeel who was looking suspiciously at the white haried man, but before he could react Strategist grabbed him by his head and slammed it on the table.  
"Da fuq is wrong with you?!" Gajeel yelled massaging his face, it was too little to hurt him, but he could feel the pain.  
"We can play it nicely or I will just tear you apart, you see with these handcuffs you can't use your powers." _Shit!, _ Gajeel thought, he was planning on busting out from that place.

"So who are you?" Vastia asked again.  
"Gajeel Redfox, Brigadier General in Martyr's Army." he replied calmly this time.  
"You see that wasn't so hard. Now tell me what were you looking for in the Heavenly Palace?" the interrogation continued.  
"The hell I should now? I was supposed to create a distraction and chaos in the city for the rest, so they could proceed to the palace, but I don't know what they were looking for there." he replied sincerely.

"Hmm... and how you penetrated our defenses?" Lyon was curious about it.  
"Let me just say, that you don't know you people very well mister Strategist" Gajeel smirked deviously, this time Lyon has kicked Bloodseeker's chair so he fell from it.  
"Oh and we can't forget about that friend of yours... Gray Fullbuster, wasn't it?" Gajeel started to laugh when he finished that sentence, Lyon snapped and started to kick Martyr in his guts, but he kept laughing no matter how hard he was kicking.  
"You are going to die and I will hunt down that fucking excuse of an ice mage!" Lyon was furious and tired.  
"You can't kill what is already dead" Gajeel said with a smirk, little drip of blood fell off his mouth.

He wasn't aware that a certain little blunette was standing on the other side of the mirror, her eyes were filled up with pain and sorrow.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Gray was standing on the hill he could see Hades main gate in the far distance in front of him and the smoke still coming from the Olympus walls if he looked behind him. He still couldn't believe what has happened in the last few hours.

/

Gray woke up, he regained his strength after Wendy's sedatives, but the one sentence he has said to Juvia was haunting his mind, he said that he hated her. Why he even said that it didn't make any sense. While he was lying in his bed, lost in his thoughts a woman appeared in his room. She had long black hair, was wearing a white robes and holding a lily in her hand. At first Gray didn't even noticed her, but after a while he could feel someone's presence and a very strong aura in his room. He looked at her and went pale, the woman looked just like his master Ur.

"Ur, Ur is that you?" he asked not believing his own eyes.  
"No Icesmith I'm Ultear, the queen of the gods" she said calmly but Gray eyes were wide.  
"Bu-but you look exactly like her." he wasn't able to comprehend what was happening.  
"Ur was my mother." she said with sadness in her eyes.  
"Y-you are Ur's daughter?! The one that we weren't supposed to ask about?" Gray was still in shock.  
"Hah, my mother and I had... lets just say that we had difficulties in our relations. I come to ask you for your help Icesmith." she was troubled.  
"I will do anything, because of me Ur is now an ice I want to redeem my sins somehow." he was more than willing to help her.  
"Thank you, do you know where Elysium is?" she asked him.  
"Yes, it's a sacred ground of the dead in the Hades." Gray replied.  
"Indeed I need you to go there and kill a certain man that is a threat to the world we know, he lives with the dead, you need to find him there and kill him." Ultear was dead serious.

"But in my current state I'm unable to do anything..." he replied resigned.  
"That can be helped" she said and gave him a vial with some kind of liquid in it. "Drink this and you will be as good as new." Gray took the vial from her and drank the potion, his wounds healed in an instant, and he was back to his full strength, he couldn't believe it.  
"Now go my champion, go and kill the man living with the dead, who is plaguing the sacred place." she said to him and vanished.

Gray jumped out of the window, slid down the wall with his demon claws. As soon as his foots hit the ground, he used a cloaking spell that Ur once taught him, and moved slowly but steadily to the main gate of the Olympus.

/

And know he was in point of no return, he was cursed by fate and his own blood running through his veins, the least thing he could do was make a favor to Ultear, his master's daughter. There was no turning back for him, he needed somehow to get to the Elysium and find his target. He looked one last time at the city walls.

_I will find him and kill him, for Ur. _, he thought as he started to march in the direction of Hades's Kingdom main gate with his ice demon legs.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

In the Dark Palace Hades was having a nice chat with Ultear. They were sitting at the big table made from pure white bones, and drinking wine from golden cups.

"So you said that the fool took the bait?" Hades smiled to her.  
"Yes, you should have seen him, he was adorable, as soon as I said him that I'm Ur's daughter he was willing to throw his life away for me, what a stupid fool." she said.  
"Mortals, huh? So we will just wait for him now to try enter the Elysium, and when the guards will kill him we'll just take his necklace from his dead body."  
"It seems so, what you have done with that high priestess?" Ultear asked curiously.  
"Erza? He amuses me, she still thinks that her Jellal is somewhere in this body I will keep her as insurance, Laxus would not lay a finger on me as long as she's here."

Several rooms on there was a priestess lying in her royal sized bed, but she wasn't happy not at all she was crying with her face hided in the pillow, and said just one sentence. "Jellal why did you give up your body, why?" red haired woman was unable to comprehend that.

**To loli:  
underling**- she got her powers when she was ten, to that day she was escaping her whole life, and he hates her job as Death,  
**Hades's side**- Hades doesn't like gods with no intent to kill innocent people,  
**water power** - she used it once, if she doesn't need to she doesn't use it. Simple.

This Juvia fits in my story so that's why she is like that.

**Thanks for the reviews**!


	10. Chapter 10 : Exile

**Enjoy!**

After the interrogation Gajeel was back in his cell, he had some bruises, but nothing serious after his bath in Styx he was very durable. Bloodseeker was trying to come up with some plan of escape from this prison. He knew the moment wherein he become useless for Olympus Task Forces they would eliminate him like some kind of trash, and that wasn't a good thing for him. Suddenly the door opened and there was a familiar little blunette standing in there, but this time she was wearing an Olympus military uniform and he must admitted that it was suiting her. She had dark blue pants and matching jacket with gold buttons, her hair was tied in a ponytail, and a blue hat with an emblem representing some kind of rune was on her head.

"Hello mister Redfox, nice place you have here" she started with teasing tone.  
"Yeah, it's not big but it's quite comfortable." Gajeel replied as if her tease had no effect.  
"I know that Lyon's interrogation can be quite hard to take." she started closing the door behind her.  
"Hah, and how can you know that? You are on their side it's not like he interrogated you too." and at his word Levy has rolled up her right sleeve, her arm was covered in bruises.  
"Lyon can be a little harsh, he's the type that want you to say what he wants to hear. He was asking me about our earlier encounter and got a little carried away."

_What kind of man is he, to think that he would interrogated his own comrade, _Gajeel thought.

"Anyway" she continued, " what exactly do you know about Gray Fullbuster, the Icesmith?"  
"Hah, informations aren't cheap." she showed him a key to his handcuffs.  
"I see that your military has a real problem with loyalty." he said grinning.  
"I just need to find a friend" she tried to justify herself.  
"Ok, so I don't know much but this it what I can tell you. He was originally some part of Hades's plan to release the Uranos from his prison beyond the Ninth Gate, but to do so Hades needs someone to get the Cronus Scythe and the Key. Your friend is also Silver's son." Levy paled, that wasn't what she was prepared for.

"Do you mean that Hades is planning to release the Uranos from his prison?" she asked, panic was in her voice.  
"It looks like it, but it's none of my business." Gajeel replied.  
"Bu-But his rage will destroy the whole world, it'll be like an apocalypse." she said with fear.  
"As I said that's not my problem." he replied emotionless.  
"Stupid Gajeel!" she yelled at him and he was surprised with it "And that Silver story, it can't be true it's some kind of a lie."  
"Look shrimp, I said all that I know, now can you just give me the key, pretty please?" he asked her politely.

"Here you go" she threw him the key, "just go and don't you dare to come back here" she and started to open the door, when suddenly he grabbed her from behind and put his sword shaped arm near her neck.

"Gihi, you are going with me, you are my ticket to freedom now let us take a ride, shall we?" the shadows embraced the two of them and just like that they were gone.

After a few minutes Lyon just destroyed the cell door, he heard that the Royal Runemaster Levy McGarden went to see this Martyr guy and he had this weird feeling in his gut. When he saw that there was no one left in the cell he went nuts, Lyon grabbed the Divine Guardian which was in charge of this block and froze him, shattering to the pieces after a short while. Now he has nothing, no Icesmith and no captive, this day was getting worse and worse for Lyon.

A big shadow has appeared in the Levy's apartment which was above her bookstore and two people emerged from it. Levy was sweating, her uniform was teared in some places mainly on her back and legs, she dropped to her knees exhausted, dramatically gasping for air, behind her was standing a man with long black hair. He looked like nothing special happened.

"Wha-What... was... that?" Levy asked still tired.  
"That? That was a fast travel through the Shadow Realm." he stated matter-of-factly.  
"And the things that attacked us there?" Levy was back on her feet.

"They are the native citizens of the Shadow Realm, going through the shadows allows you to travel with the great speed and undetected by your enemies, but you need to run from the beasts living inside that realm." Gajeel was trying to explain it.

"You're insane, but you already knew that and why would you bring me to my own apartment?" she asked curiously.  
"Because you're going to pack up some thing and you'll help me bust out from this city."  
"Pffff, there's no way I will do such a thing." she was playing with fire here.  
"Yeah? So maybe I should leave Lyon a note that certain Runemaster set me free, huh?" he tried to blackmail her.  
"Ok, ok you won." she said resigned "Gihi." Gajeel smirked.  
"Just tell me how to escape this city and we'll be off." he was looking curiously around Levy's apartment.  
"It's really easy, I just need to rewrite some runes near the broken wall, and you will be able to go through them, since we increased the security level after your attack it's necessary."

"Ok so pick up what you need and let's go, shrimp." he commanded her.  
"Don't, call me like that!" she yelled at him and puffed out her cheeks  
"And what are you going to do about it?" he was teasing her, and indeed there was nothing she could do about that, for now.  
"Are you ready?" he asked her "Yes we can go now" and Gajeel walked towards her an hugged her tightly to her surprise. "Wha-What are you doing?" she asked blushing lightly "We don't want something to happen to you, do we?" he was cocky "Stupid..." was all that she said, before they vanished in the shadows once again.

They appeared near one of the holes in the Olympus Wall. This time Levy was all right apparently it was all thanks to Gajeel's hug his whole shirt on his back was ripped of, he had a few scratches but nothing serious.

"Here we are. Now you start your job, shrimp." and Levy walked slowly to the wall, placed a hand on it and the runes have appeared, but instead of rewriting them she just hit them with her little fist. Instantly an enormous X-mark appeared on the wall glowing and making horribly loud noise.  
"What the fuck did you do?!" Gajeel yelled he couldn't understand what was happening.

"Sorry, but I can't let you escape, you just fell in another trap mister Redfox." Levy smiled devilishly. "In less than a minute there should be hundred men here, ready to capture you or kill you. Oh and you can be sure that Lyon will be here too." Gajeel just stood there shocked he hasn't thought of such possibility, this woman was really smart, weak but very smart.

And it was almost like she said, but instead of one hundred men there was only Lyon Vastia and his assistant Chelia Blendy, they come on Lyon's majestic ice dragon, when they were on the ground he dismissed it and they were walking slowly to them.

"Lyon why are you alone? Where are our men?" Levy asked Main Strategist, she was surprised.  
"I've said them not to come, because I can handle traitors like you all by myself." he smiled.  
"Traitors?" Levy asked with disbelief.  
"Yes, since you helped our prisoner " he pointed at Gajeel "…. what was his number... 53? Anyway you've become a traitor Levy McGaraden the Royal Runemaster and thank you for revealing your position it was very helpful" he said ironically.  
"Lyon you can't be serious, is this some kind of a joke?" Levy was panicking, she's heard that Vastia was not in his top mental shape lately, but this was just ridiculous.

"Umm... master maybe you should think twice about it, killing the Royal Runemaster won't go unpunished by King Laxus." Chelia said shyly.  
"Stop this nonsense Chelia don't you see that they are clearly refusing to surrender and in that case I'm allowed to use brute force, am I right?" he turned his head to his assistant. "Y-Yes..." Chelia relied sheepishly

"You went nuts since Ur sacrificed herself for Gray, get a hold of yourself Lyon, you're just a mad man now!" Levy yelled at him, but it was already too late, he took his ice-making stance.

"Ice-Make: Eagle" ice eagles were flying in her direction _This is bad_ she thought, Levy wasn't made for direct combat her specialty were ambushes, when she could place her runes properly she was undefeated. She closed her eyes waiting for impact, but it never came. When Levy opened her eyes she saw a long black hair in front of her and a man protecting her from the impact.

"I guess that we are now partners in crime." Gajeel smiled to her.  
"It looks that way." a faint smile was on her face.  
"Gihi, so you go turn off this runes and I'll stall this guy." he suggested.  
"Yeah" she went to the runes, trying her best to deactivate them, but it would took her some time.

"Now I'm your opponent!" Gajeel yelled to Lyon.  
"It doesn't matter I would kill you both and then find that cursed brother of mine." Lyon was getting angry.  
"I don't think so. Iron Dragon's Scales" Gajeel whole body was covered in iron scales.  
"Ice-Make: Dragon." Lyon summoned an ice dragon which started to attack Gajeel in no time. He was trying to avoid its attacks but Lyon kept on pushing him with his creation.  
'Ice make Ape. Ice make Tiger" Lyon was trying to keep the pressure on Bloodseeker,  
"Iron Dragon's Sword" he changed one of his arms in some kind of sword with spiky chain on it, after a while it started to act as a chainsaw, tearing Lyon's dragon apart.

"Eat this!" Gajeel yelled "Iron Dragon's Roar" and a big tornado of metal was going in the direction of Lyon, "Sky God's Bellow" Chelia countered the attack aimed in her superior with her own magic.

"Who are you?" Gajeel asked confused.  
"I'm Main Strategist's assistant Chelia Blendy, I use the Sky God Slayer magic, now please surrender before someone gets hurt." she said pleadingly.  
"There's no way I'm going surrender to a kid like you!" Gajeel just got hit by an ice tiger that Lyon has made.  
"You can't win with our combined forces Martyr!" Lyon yelled and before Gajeel could notice Shelia was near him.  
"Sky God's Dance." and just like that he was tossed in air with great force, but it wasn't ending there , Lyon's ice dragon was waiting for him in mid air. This was getting bad for Gajeel, like really bad.

Suddenly Levy has yelled "It's done!", but Chelia was already behind her, preparing an attack.

"God Slayer's Secret Art: Heavenly Gathering of Clouds." a massive amount of dark feather wings were sent in Runemaster direction. You could only hear a loud crash of destroyed debris, but there was no Gajeel nor Levy. Lyon dismissed his creations and was searching through the his keen eyes.

"Fuck this shit, they managed to get away." he kicked a rock.  
"But master how? There's no way that they could dodge our attacks"Chelia was confused.  
"That Martyr bastard can use some kind of shadow technique allowing him to merge with them and travel through the Shadow Realm." Lyon was getting more and more frustrated. "It doesn't explain where is Runemaster." his assistant said.

"He took her with him the last second before the impact, it seems that he is very skilled in combat after all." he said, grinding his teeth.  
"What do we do now master? Shall we pursue them?" she asked.  
"No, it looks like Runemaster made sure that we won't be able to do that, now we go to headquarters and plan our the next move." Lyon was straightening his clothes.  
"Shouldn't we inform the King about this incident?" Chelia asked curiously.  
"He'll know one way or another, this trap made some noise." He summoned an ice dragon ice and the scary duo have flew in the unknown direction.

On the other side of wall the two runaways were breathing heavily, one of them was even bleeding. Levy was in her torn military suit, she still couldn't believe that she was in one piece. Gajeel on the other hand was bleeding from his back, apparently when she grabbed Levy trying to run from the fight he got hit with Chelia's attack.

"Gajeel!" Levy screamed anxiously.  
"We don't have time for this, we need to find some place safe" he started to walk but collapsed after few steps.  
"You need help, you stupid!" and Levy despite that she was smaller than him lent him a shoulder, to support him.  
"Tch, thanks shrimp." he smiled faintly.  
"Less talking, more walking." she commanded him.

And so they walked, prepared for the worst, two strangers bonded by the exile.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Gray was getting closer and closer to the Main Gate of Hades, he didn't know what was waiting for him behind it. He heard that there were actually people living in the ruins of the old city, but life there was unbearable for the most, they were eating leftovers and hiding from slave hunters, they had live there more like an animals that actual people. More important he was getting tired of his whole travel, but he couldn't rest because Lyon or somebody could appear any moment and he need to keep the distance advantage over his chase. _I just need to keep going no matter what, _ he thought, but he stumbled on a rock and fell, nothing serious, but he felt something poking his head.

"Are you alright mister?" there was a girl poking him with a stick, When Gray got up he saw her, there was a little girl standing in front of him. She had a black shoulder-length hair and a pretty face, despite the fact that she was wearing an empty trash bag modified with some duct tape as her clothing, she was so thin that you could actually see each of her bones. She was barefoot here feet were just covered in dirt, there was also a lot of dirt under her long yellow nails. But she had those beautiful green eyes shining with child curiosity. She was holing her stick in her left hand. Gray was astonished, _What is a little girl doing in a place like this,_ he thought.

"What's your name mister my name is Lillis , nice to meet you!" he just ignored her and start to walking again.  
"Where are you going mister?" mysterious girl was following him, her hands were laced behind her back.  
"Go away" he said not even looking at her "But I don't want to..." girl replied.  
"Ugh, what I need to do for you to leave me alone" Gray turned back irritated.  
"You can for starters say me your name mister." Icesmith thought for a moment about giving her false name, but she was just a little girl "Ok I'm Gray, can you go now?" he was hoping it would work.  
"Where are you going Gray?" Lillis asked smiling to him. He started to walk again "I'm going to Hades, so now go home." he was getting tired of that little girl.

"I live there, but there's soooo boring there's no one to play with..." girl said. Gray stopped immediately "Wait, what? You live in that deserted city in Hades?" he asked, he couldn't believe what he just heard.  
"Mhm you want to come over?" Lillis asked with hope in her voice. Gray was thinking about all the possibilities and he decided to go with the strange girl.  
"Ok I will go with you." he stated. "Yes!" girl yelled "It'll be so much fun." she smiled happily to Icesmith and took the lead.

Gray noticed that they weren't going in the direction of the main gate, so he asked

"Aren't we suppose to enter through the main gate?"  
"No, no, no, no, we can't there's a big doggy guarding the entrance if he'll sense you he'll let you in but you won't be able to leave Hades." she explained to him with a serious face.  
"Ok, so where are we actually going?" he asked confused.  
"Can you see these mountains? There is a hidden passage that only the citizens of the Lost City know about." she explained to him.  
"Lost City?" Gray asked "Mhm... " girl nodded, "A city forgotten by the world and gods themselves."

After a hour they were standing before some kind of cave or more like a passage in the mountains. Lillis was going through it with no problems, she was little and skinny after all, but Gray wasn't so lucky, walking through tight passage was rather a challenge for him, his clothes were torn a little bit and they were only half way.

"Come on Gray don't be such a slowpoke." girl laughed at him "You little..." he started but lost his balance and slipped on a wet rocks.  
"Are you alright?" girl asked him, she was worried, "Yeah, I'll be fine. Lets go." he replied. Gray saw a weak light coming from the other side of the tunnel and quickened his pace, catching up with Lillis, he could smell the stench, it was invading his nostrils, that experience surely wasn't pleasing.

Girl turned to him, smiled and said cheerfully "This is my home Gray!", he was shocked there was only rubble and debris there, big ancient building were covering the sky, and he could hear screams and yells from all around but he hasn't seen anyone.

Lillis grabbed him by his ice hand and dragged in some unknown direction. He was still scanning surroundings with his eyes, looking for danger, but there was none to be find. Lillis was dragging him in the direction of something that looked like ruined house. There was no windows, just old squeaky rusty door. When he came inside his eyes went wide, living conditions were dramatic,there was only one room that was not destroyed, and there was something that reminded him of bed in it. He looked back with his sad eyes at the smiling girl.

"Do you like it Gray? Take a seat and I'll bring us something to eat" Lillis said energetically and she went somewhere. Icesmith sat and waited for her to come back, thinking about how hard the girl life was here, Lillis was back in no time, she was holding a parcel with food. She placed it gently on a blanket pretending it was something like picnic, but then Gray has asked her a question.

"Where are your parents Lillis?" immediately child's face became sad, "They left, they promised that they would come back but they didn't..." Gray was regretting his question.  
"Umm... Gray can I ask you about something?" girl asked sheepishly. "Yes" he replied simply still trying to recognize what kind of food he was eating.

"What is wrong with your limbs?" she asked curiously. "With these?" he raised his hands.  
"Mhm" girl nodded.  
"You know there are actually DEMON limbs" Gray has made a scary face.  
"Noooooo way!" girls eyes were literally shining with curiosity.

"Yep I tell you I don't feel anything in them" when he finished girl started poking his ice leg with her stick. "See I told you. Now do you want to see some really scary stuff?" girl just nodded in response, she was still focusing all of her attention on Icesmith. Gray grabbed his right wrist with his left hand and just crushed it so his right hand fell off. "Gyaaaaaaah! Gray your hand! Your hand!" girl was yelling terrified, and Gray was just laughing he hadn't so much fun in years.

"Just look" he smiled to her while his ice hand was growing back, Lillis just said a loud "Oooooooo" with her moth wide open. "You see I'm an ice mage, apparently a demon one." he explained to her.  
"This is soooo coooool. Can you make me something? Pretty please." she was begging him and making a sad puppy face.  
"Hmmmm let me see... who you always wanted to be?" he asked her.

"A princess!" girl yelled excited, Gray just smiled to her in response and bring his hands together, after a short while he was holding a little ice tiara in them. He placed it on the girl's head. She started to cry "Whoa did I do something wrong?" he asked panicked  
"No it's just _sniff_ it's just nobody ever did something so nice for me" and she hugged him with her little skinny arms.

"So tell me what was in that food that you bring here it was quite tasty." now he was curious.  
"Some cooked rat meat, why?" and Gray face changed to green, his organism wanted to throw up, but he managed to hold it, for now.

**Reviews? I really need them to keep writing this thing, you know? ^^**


	11. Chapter 11 : Past and Present

**Hello, reason why I wasn't writing is in reviews. For now let us enjoy the story!**

Laxus was sitting on his throne which was on a little pedestal, it was symbolizing his superiority above the others, it was once a beautiful piece of art, but after his fight with Zeus it wasn't so beautiful as before, You could think that his throne was made from gold, but it wasn't, main component used to made it was yellow topaz, no one knows why. Apparently it was Zeus's whim, but as was said earlier his throne wasn't flawless anymore, there war scratches on it and one of the two lightning bolts decorating it headrest was missing. Furthermore there was a large hole in it, as if someone punched through it, there were still bloodstains on it. It was fitting Laxus style, he was sitting relaxed on his throne, when a messenger entered the royal chamber. Man kneed and said

"My king I have bad news, captive from Hades City escaped and Icesmith is gone as well." he was waiting for some kind of punishment for bringing the bad news, but there wasn't any, he looked up at the king. Laxus was staring at some point in the far distance.  
"Tell the Strategist to organize the chase as soon as possible, for what we know he could be already in Hades, so we will pursue him to the Tartaros if needed, Vastia should be more than pleased with this.", he replied bored.  
"Y-yes my king" messenger was scared, but Laxus was in no mood for punishment, frankly Lyon was even a worse option for him, that man was mad. But he stood up and went in the direction of the military headquarters.

Laxus was left alone with his own mind, getting lost in his own thoughts. _Was it really Mira?_, that one thought was haunting him like a bad dream. He tried to remember the old good days.

/

It was that year when the youngest of Strusses has died, Lisanna was her name. Laxus was nineteen back then, he was quite famous in the city ranks with his Lightning Dragon Slayer skills, he had a lot of enemies and not too much friends because of his harsh personality. But there was a younger girl that was always keep poking him in a good way, Mirajane Strauss was fifteen. She was an frequent visitor in his house, he was living back then with Makarov, his grandfather and Archont of Olympus.

That day Laxus was back from a scouting mission and he was really tired, so he entered his room and just lied on a bed, he was wearing an yellow shirt and his headphones that were designed in a weird style, when a girl yelled to him from the outside the building.

"Fight with me Laxus!" he just opened the window and it was her again a girl with white hair, was standing near in his garden.  
"Dammit I said you that I don't want to, why you don't leave me alone?" he replied irritated.  
"Tch, you are just scared!" Mira kept yelling at him  
"Scared you say?" he aimed his one finger at her an a bolt of lighting stuck her feet.  
"That hurt you know?!" she was persistent.  
"Just go! And don't try to come inside my house ever again!"he was about to close the window, when his grandfather showed up.

"Oooooh Mira you want to come in?" Makarov asked her.  
"Yes, pretty please." she was making puppy face.  
"No, no, no, no! Gramps don't let her in!" Laxus was yelling but it was already too late, she was in their house. After a short while Mira was in his room yelling

"Fight with me!"she had fire in her eyes.  
"And If I win will you leave me alone?" he asked resigned "Yes! But I will beat you this time!" she started to use her Take Over Magic, but Laxus caught her by her head and just threw the girl out from window.

"At last some peace!" he said out loud. But after a short while she was back upstairs.  
"You bastard! I wasn't ready, and what a man you are to attack a girl!" she was yelling at him again.  
"Wha-?! You wanted to fight so I gave you a fight now leave!" he was getting frustrated. She just stick out her tongue.  
"Why are you so persistent?" he asked, when she sat on his bed.  
"Because I want to strong like you to protect my brother and sister." he wasn't expecting this kind of an answer.  
"So you just need to train more, but I warn you, I'll be always the strongest, because I want to become to king of this city." he smiled to her.  
"So promise me Laxus, promise me that you'll protec us all!" He put his hand in her hair, messed them up and said "I promise."

/

Laxus smiled at the memory of the happy days, even that she was younger than him, she got tremendous power, he could always feel it, but she was too hasty, too young to master it.

/

He was standing before the portal to the Zeus Royal Chambers there was a dozen of lifeless corpses around him, after the Avatar Crisis began everyone has gone nuts, but he could do it, he could kill the King of Gods and became the only ruler in the Olympus. Laxus was power hungry back then, the possibility of becoming a god was tempting. it was something like a final test of his abilities back then . He was about to get in the portal when someone called him.

"Laxus!" it was Mira, she was running to him.  
"What is it?" he asked not even turning to her.  
"Please don't go there, you'll be killed, besides you know that killing a god isn't something righteous." she was practically begging him.  
"You don't understand, it's my destiny, I was born to became a god and the King!" he yelled at her.  
"Please stay with us, you are powerful enough Laxus, you don't need more power, just don't risk everything for a puny dream." she was trying to reason with him.  
"You think about this as a puny dream?! I need to protect this city, and I will protect it even from the gods!" he stepped in the beam of light and was gone.  
"I will wait here for you Laxus..." and she just stood between the corpses, when he had left her.

Laxus was in unfamiliar place, it was a beautiful and strange place, everything was so majestic there. But he could see an old man with long beard sitting on his flawless throne.

"Be gone mortal." Zeus said emotionlessly and throw a lightning in his direction, there was a loud crash. But Laxus was standing there unaffected.  
"You picked a wrong opponent old man" his face was dead serious.

"Tch, to think that I would need to taint my hands with human blood, what a disgrace." and he started to throw dozen of lightnings in Laxus direction. But he was to fast, to agile, dodging them with with child ease. When he was in range of hand to hand combat Laxus has attacked Zeus with his fist imbued woth the power of lighting, but god was standing there unaffected.

"You thought this would hurt me mortal?" Zeus asked amused.  
"Shit!" Laxus cursed and they started to exchange blows, each of them was standing steady on his feet, they were just hitting with fists, but you could call that fight a draw, yet Laxus was starting to lose his strength, he needed to do something fast or else he could perish. When Dragon Slayer was lost in his thought Zeus hit him with his both fists right in the chest and he hit him hard, the power of the his attack sent young Dragon Slayer flying through the room. But Laxus had an idea, it was risky but it was his last chance. He charged right at Zeus, his right hand was somehow minimized to something like lightning needle. God just took the hit and grabbed Laxus by his shoulders.

"You are mine mortal, there is nowhere to run, there is nowhere to hide. You thought that you can just kill me with a needle?" and he broke young man shoulders, but Laxus lightning needle was still stuck inside the god.  
"I just needed to pierce through your body..." Zeus eyes went wide after this realization, Laxus hand was back to its normal shape and it was inside his guts. Blue blood began to drip from god's mouth.

"You fucking mortal, you will die in an instant!" he yelled furious but it was too late for him.  
"Heaven's Light" and a beam of lightning came through Laxus hand tearing the god in half and covering young man, now the highest god in blue blood. His wounds were healed, but he was to exhausted to do anything.

Back in the city Mira was still waiting for her friend to show up, she was worried about Laxus, for her aiming for the spot of a god was like a dream of a madman, but suddenly she saw a familiar figure forming right in front of her. It was Laxus his clothes were soaked with blue blood, Mira was terrified.

"What on earth did you do?!" she started to cry and was hitting Laxus in his chest with her tiny little fists, her head was down.  
"I did what had to be done. Now I'm king of this city and the king of all gods." he replied and looked at her, but all he could see were her white hair.  
"You stupid moron!" she yelled at him rising up her head, she was still crying, Laxus was surprised  
"What if you wouldn't make it?!" she was yelling at him.

But Laxus just place his hand on her head and said "I once promised you that I will protect you all and with this power I'm finally able to do it" and then he smiled, the girl stopped crying and just gave him a hug.

/

Now Laxus expressions became grim, his next memory was the one that he was trying to forget for the last fourteen years, but no matter what he couldn't do it. It was haunting him like a bad dream.

/

It was a beautiful day, Laxus was sitting in his not so long ago obtained throne in Heavenly Palace. He was the King for just three months but he already liked it wealth, power, friends he got it all. He was about to stand up and take a short walk but suddenly the main door to the throne room opened.

Mira was holding Lisanna body in her arms, she was covered in scratches and bruises.

"Laxus! Laxus! You need to help Lisanna!" Mira was screaming through her tears.  
"Wha-What happened?" he asked surprised and ran closer to her.  
"Elfman went on a rampage and she was trying to stop him." Mira answered, her whole body was shaking.  
"Where is he now?" Laxus asked, concerned.  
"He's unconscious but fine, Demi Squad got a hold of him"

Laxus started to examine Lisanna body, he was no doctor but he knew that she was already dead.

"Mira I'm sorry, but I'm afraid there's nothing I can do..." he started but Mira interrupted him.  
"No! No! No! She will be ok, you promised me, remember? You said that you will protect us." his friend was on the edge of sanity, he could see it.  
"Mira I..." he was trying to get to her.  
"You lied to us! Where were you, when Elfman was tearing apart our home? Where were you Laxus!?" girl was getting more and more out of control.  
"I was here in the palace,now please calm down." Laxus tried to reason with her.  
"You are just like the rest of the puny gods! And now Lisanna is dead and you don't want to bring her back!I hate you, you hear? I hate you!" she was in shock, he couldn't blame her for that.

Guards have walked inside the throne room and made a circle around Mira, Laxus didn't know what was happening.

"Please move aside my king we'll take care of her now" on of them said.  
"What do you mean?! She may be a little lost but this girl is my friend and is in..." Laxus started.  
"She killed nearly fifty of our best men on her way here, she's clearly a threat. Stand aside my king."

Laxus couldn't believe it, he looked with wide eyes at his friend, she was holding tightly a lifeless body of her younger sister.

/

After that day he didn't saw her again. No, he was wrong, he saw her on the day of the attack, she was standing behind Hades, she even said his name, but why she was with him he didn't now. Laxus was now 33 years old, but he looked like 23, thanks to his god's powers. He thought about Mira appearance back in that day, she should be 29, yet she looked like 21. That made him think, that she made some kind of a pact or deal with Hades.

"What are you up to Mira..." he said out loud and after few second it hit him, _Lisanna_, this name rushed through his mind. Now everything was clear to him like a cloudless sky. But there was nothing that King of Olympus could do about it, not right now. Laxus had a plan forming up in his head, plan that will allow him to bring his old friend back on his side.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Gray was sleeping when he felt something dragging his shirt, he opened one eye and saw Lillis, who was pulling him by his shirt.

"What do you want? It's early let me sleep a little more" and he turned his back to her.  
"Gray, you promised, that you will go with me to my favorite spot today!" she was relentless.  
"Yeah, yeah just give me five more minutes..." he clearly didn't want to get up.  
"Buuuuuuut Gray, let's go now!" she insisted.  
"Ugh, ok you little demon." and he started to get up.  
"Yay! I'm a demon just like you!" girl screamed happily.  
"Tch, sure you are." Gray smiled to her.

He has get up and started to search for some food that his little friend have made him for breakfast, Gray decided to never again ask her from what ingredients it was made, because he could vomit again. It was tasty and that was enough for him. The last few days that Icesmith has spent with that girl reminded him of what he has lost, but he was happy with her companionship, she was thinking of him and his demon powers as some kind of demi-god from the legends and he was ok with that. He even repaired her home and made some furniture with his ice magic, so there was now an ice table, chair, beds and even some shelves and wardrobe, not to mention demonic ice fridge with a a scary face on it. When they closed their house after breakfast and were about to go , Lillis started to ask question, again.

"So Gray where are your parents?" her hair were pinned up in a ponytail.  
"My mother is dead and dad is really far, far away..." his mind in involuntarily went to the memories of his father, Silver.  
"Is your dad working somewhere or he just go for a very long trip?" he loved how this child was innocent.  
"Heh, you can say, that he is working in a very dangerous place." Gray replied to her.  
Lillis said a loud _Ooooooh_ and they went in more unknown direction. He always wanted to make her some clothes but unfortunately they were to cold to wear.

"So where are we going today?" he asked curiously.  
"To my favorite spot! You will like it, the view is really beautiful" she said excited.

"We will see", he smirked. Lillis as always was leading the way, and he was just following her with his demon hands in his pockets. They were going through the Lost City main road, you could hear the screams and yells coming from the shadows, but no one was brave enough to attack the little girl and her demon-like guardian, each time their saw Gray's ice limbs they were just retreating back to the shadows. After a thirty minutes they were outside the city and started to climb a hill.

When they were on it Lillis said "This is my favorite spot Gray. Do you like it?"

View was indeed breathtaking, because form the hill you could see a river, but this was no ordinary river. It was somehow green and glowing, you could see hands coming out from the river as if their were trying to catch a bit of air. It was beautiful but cruel at the same time.  
"Wha-What is this?" he asked shocked.

Girl sat on the hill her knees were supporting her chin, "It's Lethe, a single drop of water from this river can make you forget everything, hands and figures reflecting in it are actual memories of people that have drink from."

"You come here often?" he asked still standing and adoring the view.  
"I want to, but it's hard to come here unnoticed by others..., now let's go back home Gray." she smiled to him and started to stand up, but he stopped her.

"Wait a minute I have and idea" he touched the ground with one of his hands "Ice Make: Floor" and the ice has covered one side of the hill making it a gigantic ice slide. Girl's eyes were glowing with happiness, she rushed at him and hugged him from behind, unfortunately she had enough impact to made Gray slip and fall on his face, so they started to slide

"You little stupid girl!" he yelled at her, terrified  
"Wooooooooooo" girl was so happy  
"Oi! Don't woooo me! We're going to die!" he was still yelling at her, they were still accelerating and they were only halfway.  
"Um... Gray don't you think that we are going a little to fast?" she asked confused.  
"Dammit girl! I've said it all the time!" but it was too late, he could see the end of the ice floor.

There was nothing other left for them than prepare for the impact. Gray was just brutally stopped by friction of non-frozen ground, while Lillis just flew from his back far, far away. When he got up he was angry and his face was red, but he calmed down when he couldn't see Lillis anywhere near him.

"Lillis! Where are you?!" Gray was yelling, but there was no response.  
"Lillis!" he yelled again.  
"Gray I'm over here!" she was calling him from the distance. Gray ran in the direction of her voice, and he saw her covered in dirt, smiling and waving to him, he smiled back when he saw that she was ok. But suddenly his face became dead serious, much to girl surprise someone grabbed her from behind by her neck and lifted her up.

"Leave me alone!" she was yelling, kicking in air.  
"What we have got here, hmmmm? A tasty little girl, you sure are worth some money." a loathsome voice said.  
"Leave the girl alone and nobody gets hurt." Icesmith said to the slave hunters.  
"Oooooh and you are?" boss asked.  
"Gray help me!" Lillis yelled to her friend.

"Gray? Gray the Cursed Icesmith? Gray the Demon-spawn? Guess we hit the jackpot today guys." boss said in a strange happy manner.  
"Pffff Gray will kick your asses! Am I right Gray?" Lillis looked at Gray with hope in her eyes, but he had his head down. She instantly became worried.

"Gray?" she asked but there was no response from him.

"Hahahahahahahahaha" boss of slave hunters burst out with laughter. "Let me say something to you little girl. This man is a demon, he summoned a demon in the center of the park, he tried to use banned techniques and he lost his limbs, he got his mother to sacrifice her life, he betrayed his own men when the city was in danger, slaughtering them into tiny little pieces, and nearly killed his own brother. What is more the Main Strategist officially announced that this man is son of a demon and put ridiculously big bounty on his head." Lillis eyes were wide, she couldn't believe that Gray was the person that boss was describing, for her this must be some kind of mistake, but he only stood there doing nothing,

Suddenly a strange cold mist appeared around them, Lillis was shivering. Gray stretched his right arm and pointed one finger in the direction of slave hunters "Ice-Make: Freeze Lancer" and in an instant Lillis was back on the ground, but she was too terrified to look back she could feel some kind of warm liquid dropping on her cheek. Gray turned around and started to walk away

"Let's go back Lillis" he said with emotionless voice, she got up and ran to catch up with Gray, but this time she was keeping three meters distance behind him and didn't say a single word, when they were about to turn around the corner she decided to took a peak on that slave hunters. What she saw was beyond her worst nightmares, four of five members got their throats penetrated by ice lances, body of the boss was in the worst shape he had two lances cross penetrating his body. First they were going through his knees then they were crossing and going through sides of his chest but they were back through his jaw and right through his eyes. Terrified girl looked at Gray's back, and was following him silently.

After an half of hour they were back in their house, Gray has said nothing, he just went to his bed and laid in it. Lillis was still lost, little girl was trying to process all the information that were overflowing her head, she was scared of Gray but she took a look of tiara which he made for her and remembered all the good things that he did for her. She gathered all of her courage and poked the Icesmithin in his back with her tiny finger, but there was no response.

"Ummmm I don't know if what they said was true, but I know you are not bad Gray..." she started but again there was noting.  
"You made me all this stuff and you always said that it was not a big deal for you..." she decided to sit on his bed , near him, her feet weren't touching the ground so she was waving them back and forth.  
"Remember that one day I was begging you to make me an ice palace, and you yelled HELL NO!, but you made it for me and you even was my butler. That was so much fun!" she said happily, but Gray didn't make a move.  
"I don't know who you were back there in Olympus were you a bad guy or a good guy, what matters for me is that you are here and you were always so kind for me and I don't want you to leave, because I'll be all alone again. You're like a family for me, I really never had one, you're like a big brother..." this time she sat on the ground near his bed "So I won't go to sleep and leave this place unless you say something!" she said more energetic this time. And she was sitting like that for an hour but she was getting more and more tired and finally she fell asleep.

In that moment Gray got up from his bed, picked up Lillis from the ground, he took her to her room and put in bed, covering with warm sheets. Icesmith looked at her with sad eyes and made an ice-princess doll which he put on her night table, then he leaned over and placed a good night kiss on Lillis forehead.

"Good night... little sister of mine." and went back through the door. But where did he go?

**I know it wasn't the best but I need a rest from my damned university, next update hmmmm... maybe Wednesday or Friday.**


	12. Chapter 12 : Adventure

**Going to upload now, because of reasons.**

Lillis opened her eyes and saw a doll made from ice, she grabbed the little princess and started to play with her, a smile spread across girl's face, when a sudden realization hit her, Lillis tossed the doll on her bed and ran out from her room, she was heading for Gray's room. She was hoping to find him there but when the girl entered his room there was nothing left there, only his empty bed. Little girl was standing there shocked, she started to cry. While she was crying a certain figure approached her silently from behind and grabbed girl by her shoulders, surprised girl jumped and turned around to take a look. When Lillis realized who it was she started to cry even more.

"Oi! What happened here? Why are you crying?" Gray asked confused.  
"It's nothing _sniff_ I thought that you left me here and _sniff_ and left" and she hugged him.  
"Stupid, how can I left behind my little sister?" girl blushed at the sound of his words.  
"Si-sister?"if it was possible she started to cry even more.

"I need do go and complete a certain task, you think you can go with me?" Gray asked, teasing the girl.  
"Yes!" she said determined and nodded  
"So go and pack some stuff, and we will be going." and she left his room. Gray was already packed, because he has woken up earlier, he got some food and stuff that can be useful during their trip to Elysium.

Icesmith walked to Lillis room to check how she was doing. Not much to his surprise she was packing everything she possessed to her ragged backpack, but she didn't pack her new ice doll.

"Why don't you take her?" Gray asked curiously.  
"Because she will wait for us to come back to our home." she said seriously, Gray couldn't help it and smiled to her. Lillis even packed her precious ice tiara.  
"Yeah, our home..." Gray was thinking about all this like an abstraction, but the one of a good kind.

When they were outside Lillis asked sheepishly "Umm... Gray where are we going to?"

"Did you ever hear of Elysium?" he replied with a question when they started to walk.  
"Umm... isn't that place some kind of a paradise?" she was walking near him.  
"Yes it is and we're going to look there for a certain man, which shouldn't be there and ask him politely to leave." Gray didn't want to tell her about his mission, it wasn't time yet.

"Ok!" she replied energetically "But Gray what about the dragons?"  
"Dragons?" he asked curiously.  
"You don't know? There are two dragons guarding the entrance to Elysium." she said as if it was something obvious. Gray was now concerned, this wasn't something that he was taking into consideration, but he decided to worry about that later. He looked around and saw Lillis with her arms stretched to him, she had those puppy eyes.

"Ugh, ok" Gray picked her up and placed her on his own shoulders.  
"Yay, adventure!" she yelled happily.  
"Heh, yeah adventure" he smiled and they went through the city not knowing what they would face off in the future.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

In the middle of a night in a dark forest you couldn't see anything yet you could hear animals rushing through night. A fox was on the hunt for it's prey, he was searching for some lost and lonely rabbit. Suddenly under the animal appeared a purple magical circle and just like that it was dead. From the bushes emerged a little blunette, her clothing was torn apart, you could see reminiscent of military insignia on it. She took the dead animal and started to walk deeper in the woods with her pray on her back. Levy McGarden was not so long ago a Royal Runemaster, she was a specialist in making traps and ambushes, however hunting was something new for her, but she was learning really fast. Levy needed only to stay hidden near a trap and wait for the prey to came, easy enough for someone as patient as she was.

Levy was getting closer to their hideout, which was a cave in the heart of the Wild, it was the wildest and most dangerous forest in the known world, people were saying that even legendary centaurs were living in it. Wild was full of secrets and deadly traps of nature, legends said that Gaia and Artemis themselves were protecting this forest. Levy put protecting runes around the cave, so nothing unexpected could get inside not to mention dozen of her traps set in near proximity of their hideout, she was as cunning as she was pretty.

She entered the cave, there was a tunnel leading deeper in to it, when Levy was inside the main part of their hideout, you could see how vast it was on the inside, there was even a small brook going through it not to mention all the beautiful fauna that you could find inside the cave, this place was really beautiful, she could live there forever if only her situation was better.

There was a blazing campfire, she sat near it and started preparing fox meat. She looked at a man that was lying a little further from campfire, Gajeel was there bare chested with bandana in his hair. He was rarely awake, that attack from Chelia was more serious that they could think and the wound wasn't healing too well. When she was done with the fox, Gajeel has woken up.

"How was the hunt shrimp?" Gajeel asked teasingly even in his current he managed to make fun of her.  
"Pffff as good as always" she puffed her cheeks "Because I'm Mistress of the Hunt!" and she tried to took a serious pose but it gave quite the opposite effect.  
"Ha ha ha ha ha. You and hunting?" Gajeel started to cry from laughter but it hurt him so much that he stopped after a while.

"You shouldn't move that much you know?" she said concerned and started to fry prepared earlier meat in fire.  
"Tch, when I'll be fine I'll show you how to hunt" he stated, looking at her.  
"Sure you will" she smiled under her nose.

"I can't believe that bastard tried to kill you, his own comrade and his assistant was a friggin monster I've never seen a little girl with such great fighting skills." Gajeel said looking at the vault of the cave.

"Lyon isn't the person you can trust anymore, not after that incident with Ur..." she stopped for a while ", about Chelia, she's really powerful, Sky God Slayer magic isn't something that you can obtain just like that."

"And as I recall you are a Dragon Slayer yourself, so how did you get your powers, were you raised by a dragon or something?" she was really curious about it.  
"I don't remember anything from the time before I joined the Martyrs Army..." he said emotionless.  
"Sorry I didn't mean to..." she said apologetically.

"It doesn't matter, say how a shrimp like you became a Royal Runemaster?" when Gajeel finished his question he was hit with hot piece of meet,  
"Aw, aw, aw ,aw aw it's hot dammit!" he yelled.  
"Stupid Gajeel!" she stick her tongue on him "But I will answer your question, because I'm a CULTURAL person." she started while Gajeel was eating his apparently now good meat.

"I was born in the Olympus Trade District, my parents owned a book store there. I was always a regular kid except for my tiny posture and love for books, I read them so many that I can't even count all of them" she smiled to herself " but my father thought that every girl needs to know how to defend herself, but instead of sending me on some self defense classes he sent me to the military recon corps" Gajeel eyes became wide  
"Your dad sent you to the military was he nuts?" he asked surprised.

"My dad was always a reasonable man and I knew that there must be some hidden motive behind it, but never mind. So I enlisted for the military, you can imagine the looks I got when I entered the barracks, they were always laughing at me and showing me with their fingers, I was always the weak one, I couldn't do anything in hand to hand combat and nearly failed each endurance test." she said, pulling her knees closer to her and supporting her chin with them.

"So you had it rough" his face was getting much more serious as story continued.

"Yep, but I didn't give up, one day I discovered something known back then as Words of Magic, which are basically runes. So I was studying the books about runes at night and in every free moment, trying my best at the day. They thought that I goet even weirder, but it all changed when we started to practice in the simulated battlefield zone, there were matches one on one, no one could beat me back then of course if I placed my runes properly, they always fell in my traps" she started to play with a knife. Gajeel was rather scared of her in that moment, he didn't know that this little person was so dangerous.

"And when our officer saw that my skills were rather unusual he sent me to a group where I could finally be helpful..." her expressions became grim.  
"You mean to the Grand Library?" Gajeel was trying to make fun of her.

"No..." she paused for a moment " I meant the Infiltration and Assassination Demi-Squad" Gajeel has nearly choked with the piece of meat that he was eating.  
"YOU SAID WHAT?!" he yelled at her. "You were a part of THAT squad?!" he couldn't believe it.  
"You know them?" she asked curiously  
"Sure I know them one time they annihilated nearly half of our troops before the fight even began!" he was still in some kind of shock.

"So as I was saying they put me there. Sure my skills were useful but I didn't like it there, killing other people silently in their own homes, by silencing all the sound with my runes or setting ambushes for the massacres where hundred of people can't even leave the area of my runes, so we could just kill them off was not in my book, I was never carved for battle, but the goddess Artemis was always fond of my cunning and skills. I've got even her blessing, that is probably why we're still alive in this forest." Gajeel mouth was just in an O shape, he couldn't believe what he was hearing

"So I decided to ask Archont Makarov for help, he pulled some strings and made me a Royal Runemaster who was in charge of Grand Library, so I could ran off from the war, military and all the violence." she finished, but her face was still full of sadness.

"You are saying that you are Artemis champion, the goddess of the hunt? Do you even know how to hold a bow?" this whole situation was just beyond his imagination.

"I'm kinda good with it..." she started sheepishly " but I really don't enjoy it."  
"Dammit woman! We need to use all advantages we can get in order to survive this, when I get better we are going to make you a fine bow!" he yelled with determination.

"Ok, ok you stupid, just lay steadily we don't want that wound on your back to open." she tried to calm him down.  
"Tsk, ok ok." he agreed.

Levy went to her sleeping bag on the other side of the campfire, she wrapped herself up tightly but despite this she was still shivering, it was just too cold for her that night.

"You can always come here if you want, gihi." he said as a joke, and was much more than surprised, when Levy got up and brought her sleeping bag right near him, blushing violently. Gajeel didn't know what to do.  
"Woah, shrimp was are you doing?" he panicked a little bit.  
"Just shut up, you stupid Gajeel, I'm doing this only because I don't want to freeze tonight." and she laid right near Iron Dragon Slayer, clinging to him and still blushing. He placed his right hand on her back,  
"Yeah, G'Night" and they feel asleep like that, waiting for the morning to come, uncertain of their future.

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The next morning in front of main gate of Olympus the crowd was gathering, this day was a special day for the civilians, they could see the march of the special group which main target was to capture the traitors. No more than few days ago Main Strategist Lyon Vastia made a public appearance and said that, Gray Fullbuster, the Icesmith and Levy McGarden, the Royal Runemaster were both traitors, and one of them even released a dangerous criminal from prison. People were shocked and at the beginning they did not believe in it, but when Lyon showed them footage of the slaughter that Gray made and the scene where Levy was passing Gajeel the keys, he bought the crowd with it. Vastia was now the hero of the crowd, a holy avenger that would bring justice to the traitors. Little children that were too small to watch the march from the streets were trying to climb up on the boxes standing near the shops or roofs of old houses to watch their heroes go, the crowd was really huge, people seem to don't mind the rain that was dropping from the sky.

Ahead on his horse was Lyon, with his pink haired assistant Chelia right near him, everybody in the city knew that that little girl was as dangerous as she was cute. After them were five man in black hoods, you couldn't see their faces, or any appearances, they were probably from Infiltration and Assassination Demi-squad. Next were Arcadians: Jura, the Hermit alongside him was Natsu Dragneel, the Salamander. Young Dragon Slayer always attracted attention, because of his dragon's features such as his red scaly tail. They were followed by a bunch of finest Arcadian war hounds, nothing could match with their tracking skills. And last but not least was little Wendy Marvel, the beloved Oracle riding with Lucy Heartfilia, when crowd has seen them, there were noises getting louder and louder. Lyon knew that this wasn't good for the expedition.

"Why are they taking our Oracle? What we will do without her?" they asked.  
"They need Aphrodite priestess too?" more and more questions.

Doubts in the crowd were getting bigger and bigger, Lyon needed to react fast or else he could lost all of the civilians support. He stopped the march and turn around to the crowd.

"Listen to me people of Olympus!" and just like that crowd went silent, each gaze was set on Main Strategist.  
"I know that you have your doubts about this expeditions, I had my own too. You are probably thinking why we need our Oracle, well you know that she possess some uncommon healing powers and if we combine them with the skills of my assistant over here" he pointed at Chelia who blushed

" We're nearly invincible. I promise you residents of Olympus City, that I will bring her back safely, not even a hair will drop from her head, she will be under my personal protection. We'll find and kill the traitors and bring back their heads on a silver plate. Now let us go on the Hunt!" he yelled at the end and the crowd just cheer for them, but not everyone was planning on killing the traitors.

For example young Dragneel joined this expedition only to find his friend, beat the crap out of him and ask him why he did he leave, what were the reasons behind his actions, he knew Gray very well and just couldn't believe that Icesmith didn't have any kind of hidden motives. And he needed to protect Lucy and Wendy from Lyon, that man was mad, he lost any kind of reason or logic, he was embodiment of wrath and vengeance right now.

Little miss Marvel just wanted to find Icesmith and try to reason with him she believed that everything could be resolved with words, or just simple talk, she believed with all her heart that Gray wasn't a bad person and just lost his way. It was a miracle that the oldest priestess allowed her to go on this expedition, they said, that she was too precious to the city, but somehow Wendy managed to convince them. She was still afraid of Lyon, she didn't trust him even that he was Gray's brother, what kind of person wants to kill his own brother.

Aphrodite priestess wasn't someone who you could see often in this kind of field trip, but Lucy as well as others had her reasons to join Lyon's Vengeance Expedition, she needed to find her friend Levy and check if she was alright. Priestess knew that Levy was smart and cunning but everyone was always taking her as some kind of a weakling, yet she was a former member of Infiltration and Assassination Demi-squad. Lucy knew that finding her won't be an easy task. But it had to be done.

Expedition moved with the applause of the crowd, Arcadian war hounds were ahead, every member knew that no one can be trusted once they will be outside the walls and they went through the rain searching for the traitors.

There was also a familiar figure on the roof of highest building around there. Her black feather wings were spread, ready to fly in the skies. She wasn't wearing her long black dress anymore, there was something more like a black leather armor on her apparently a present from Loke, it was covering tightly her whole body, there wasn't a single exposed place, her hair was shorter now. Juvia needed to find Gray, before any member form that wicked expedition. Now that she knew how to cure him, all she needed to do was take him to the Elysium and all his problem would be gone, there would be no more need for him to hide, but it required from her stealth, that this rain could't provide. Juvia closed her eyes and focused all her willpower.

"Juvia can do it. Juvia can do it." she was saying like some kind of a mantra, but it was no use it was raining even more. So she tried even harder, by clenching her fist so hard that blood started to drip from her hands "Please, do it... do it for Gray-sama." and after a while rain was gone, but the clouds were still covering the sky _Juvia guess there is still no sun for her_, she thought but it was even better for her. Death flew up in the sky tracking the expedition from a safe distance, the only ones that could see her was two priestesses, so she only needed to pay attention to them.

**Is anybody reading this? Because you now no reviews? Chapter 13 is ready to go, it just need a little correction, about 1-2 hours of work. So if you will behave nicely it will be up in no time. I like my badass Levy and I regret nothing.**


	13. Chapter 13 : Betrayal

**Enjoy!**

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Lyon's expedition was now at the edge of the forest , they were tired, they rarely got to sleep because Vastia was relentless in his task, nothing else has mattered for him. Arcadian hounds had led them here, which was a clearly sign, that someone frin the traitors was there. Expedition has split up into smaller groups and started to search for runaways. Main Strategist was with Chelia, Lucy, Wendy and one person from Assassination Squad. Jura went alone, since he he was the most efficient in that way, so Natsu was forced to go with rest of the Infiltration Squad.

They were searching for hours, but they couldn't find anything useful in the Wild, no tracks, no traps, nothing. Lyon was getting irritated and started to smash and crash everything in his way, he even sent his ice-creations to search and destroy everything on the sight. He was a really scary man if not for Lucy and Chelia Wendy would just ran away from him.

"Fuck this! There must be something that we're missing, there's no way to deceive the Arcadian hounds." he smashed another tree.  
"Master if I can interrupt, maybe they are using some kind of cloaking spell or something like that." person in black hood said, but Lyon grabbed him by his neck, lifted and started to strangle him.  
"You think that I'm some kind of an idiot?! Of course I took it under consideration, I'm the Main Strategist, no one can outsmart me!" and he dropped the frightened man to the ground.  
"Lyon we need to rest, there is no way we can go like that with minimum rest, Wendy is tired and you promised to keep her safe." Lucy interrupted.  
"Yes you are right, we go back for now and set up camp, I need some rest myself." and they started to go back.

_Crash!_ This sound echoed through the forest, followed by screams of agony, Lyon group turned around and ran through the bushes to the source of that terrible sound, only to find Natsu and the remains of corpses around him.

"Don't come closer, this freaking forest is full of traps from now on forth!" he yelled at them.  
"Bu-but how? They were our best men." one last hooded man asked.

"They were stupid, and didn't listen to my advice, I sensed that something was weird about this place, and they just rushed through, which resulted in them blowing up in tiny pieces, damn that Runemaster is hell of a sneaky bitch." Natsu said, walking back from the dangerous arena.

"We will set up camp right here, put the hound on the edge of this area, if they will catch any even the smallest scent of a traitor, we will know." Lyon commanded.

They couldn't know that a certain person was observing their every move hiding high in the trees from the sight of two priestesses. Her short hair were waving because of the wind blowing strongly that day. Juvia was really impressed with that Runemaster skills, even she couldn't see those traps, which meant that she needed to be careful herself. She was in the search for a good spot to observe how this whole situation will develop, Juvia spotted a really high tree and decided to made it her observation point.

Some time has passed and the camp was set up, there were few smaller tents, and a one big one that was a something like a war room. Lyon, Natsu, Jura and Lucy were in it, Chelia and Wendy have fallen asleep some time ago and Infiltration guy was burying the remains of his comrades.

"So what's our plan for now?" Natsu asked, he was really getting tired of all this, especially Lyon's shit.

"We will wait till tomorrow and try to bypass the traps, I marked the approximate position of their hideout, basing on the deployment of the Runemaster runes, if we take this one that killed the Infitration Squad as the outer security ring and look for a cave or something in the proximity of... let's say one kilometer, which seems like only reasonable distance for me, we get this cave in the center of the trap ring." he stated, drawing everything on a map.

"You can act as a madman sometimes, but you sure are worth your title." Natsu replied with respect in his voice.  
"Thank you Dragneel, know we must think how we can attack them in the cave, they could set more traps there, do you have any ideas?" Lyon asked.

"Ummm... I may know a thing or two" Lucy started and everybody immediately looked at her.  
"Levy once told me how she did the things, when she was in Assassination Squad..." but she stopped, she wasn't sure if telling them her friend's secrets was ok.

"Please continue, young priestess" Jura said to her.

"Her last line of defense was always some kind of Rune ring around her hideout negating all noises, smell and etc. from that place, if we could somehow attack directly on their base without activating the ring, they should be helpless." Jura and Lyon exchanged glances.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking, young Strategist?" the Hermit asked him.  
"Probably yes" and he smiled.

"This is all for now. Tomorrow we'll attack their hideout, you are free to go now." Lyon stayed in the War tent, Jura went directly to his tent to grab some shut eye. Lucy and Natsu were sitting near the campfire in silence, finally one of them broke it.

"Do you think that I betrayed her?" she asked sadly.  
"No, Luce. She should be thankful for a friend like you, you'll see that Levy will be ok. What is concerning me right now is what Lyon will do to Gray if he ever finds him. I mean..." and he stopped.  
"Yeah I know... but don't worry we'll bring him back, and stop Lyon if he'll try something drastic." she assured him, and then smiled, after that short talk they went together to their tent.

There was really peacefully in the camp, if not for the one winged person roaming around it. Juvia was still wearing her black leather armor, it didn't seem to restrain her moves, she entered the war room and spotted sleeping Lyon in the corner. Death goddess was thinking for moment there about killing him, he was the one that wanted to kill Gray after all, but she refrained form it. Juvia was checking maps and documents laying on the table in hope that some of them would contain something about Gray's location, but there was nothing about him. It seemed that she needed to wait a little longer before they'll find anything. Juvia went out of the tent and flew to her hiding spot, she needed some sleep as well.

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That day Levy woke up near Gajeel, again. Even that it wasn't so cold anymore it was much more nicer to sleep clung to him, she was still blushing at the memory of this. She didn't consider it as something harmful, for her it was just nice, not to mention that he was so warm. After these few days that has passed Iron Dragon Slayer was back to shape, his wound had healed completely, but he was still sleeping. Suddenly Levy has heard a worrisome noise, as if someone was tearing the sky apart.

"Gajeel wake up!" she yelled at him.  
"Just give me five more minutes woman..." he replied still sleepy.  
"It's no time to make jokes, wake up now!" she yelled once again. The vault of the cave started to crack, immediately Gajeel was fully awake.

"What the fu-" he started but big boulders started to drop from above, he needed to use his Iron Dragon's Sword to protect them both. Levy was trying to understand what was happening, but that whole situation was beyond her comprehension, but when the whole vault collapsed she could see who was responsible for this.

"You miss me guys?" it was Lyon, standing on his ice-dragon with Jura.  
"Lyon? What are you doing here?" Levy was shocked she couldn't understand how he was able to find them so quickly.  
"I was in the neighborhood so I thought that I'll drop by and say hello, finding you wasn't so hard you know? But those trap of yours were quite a nuisance, they killed a few good men, now will you go with me or we need to do it the hard way?" he was teasing her, that cocky bastard.

"Bu-But how you passed through my Rune ring?! It's nearly impossible!" she was lost, nothing made sense to her.  
"You'll need to thank for that to your dear friend Lucy, she can be really useful sometimes."  
"No way, she wouldn't do it." Levy was trying to displace it  
"But she did, now come one I need to catch one more traitor." Lyon was very confident.

"You mean Gray? I doubt that you'll be ever able to catch him, you always were... how to put it ... worse than him." Gajeel looked at her with wide eyes. _What the hell she's doing,_ he thought.

"Silence! That pathetic excuse of an ice mage is a trash! A mere trash!" Lyon started to loose his cool.  
"Lyon you shouldn't..." Jura was trying to calm him down, but was interrupted again by Levy's speech.

"You say so? As I recall that mere trash kicked your ass pretty hard, everyone in the army was laughing at you. Main Strategist got his ass kicked by an invalid, with prosthesis limbs. Oh and remind me please where is Ur? Is she still a giant ice cube?" Levy was playing with devil here but it was their only chance, she needed to make Lyon angry and lost his cool.

"YOU LITTLE SHIT!" and he was gone not even Jura could stop him now, Main Strategist just charged mindlessly on the traitors, that was the occasion that Levy needed.  
"Now!" she yelled to Gajeel. "Iron Dragon's Roar" Lyon and Jura were hit by point-blank range spell and crushed on the nearly rubble.

"We need to get our asses out of here shrimp, but I still can't use my Shadow Techniques, so hold tight." Gajeel commanded, and hugged her with one of his arms. "Wha-" was all she was able to say.

"Iron Dragon's Slayer Club" and he lifted them through the opening in the vault.  
"Ok I think that we're safe f-..." Levy started but stopped when she saw Lucy and Natsu standing on the other side of the big hole in the cave's vault.

"Levy is that really you?" Lucy asked she could hardly recognize her friend with all of the scratches and bruises which she had, no to mention that her uniform was practically in pieces.  
"Why Lucy, why did you did that?!" little blunette asked, tear were forming in her eyes.

"H-He promised that he won't hurt you." priestess was trying to justify her actions.  
"But he's Lyon, you know that you can't trust that bastard, he's mad." Levy was yelling through her tears.

"You need to go with us, if you want to live Runemaster, that's the only option for you." Natsu interrupted emotionlessly, and started to walk in Levy's direction. She was terrified, she was no match for the Dragneel in her current state.

"If you want her you need to get past me first." and Gajeel stepped in front of Levy, she was hiding behind his back now.  
"That can be done" Salamander replied unamused.  
"Please don't hurt her Natsu, she's my friend!" Lucy was trying to stop him but it was no use. Dragneel was tapping on rocks with his tail in a rhythmical manner.

"Fire Dragon's Iro-" Nats dropped from u was preparing his attack, when someone hit him in his head with a knee. He flew a few meters and dropped from the cave vault. That person was wearing a dark leather armor and had black feather wings. Juvia landed lightly on her feet and sent the priestess a death glare, then he grabbed Levy and Gajeel and just flew from there, leaving a lone and confused Lucy.

Juvia was flying really fast, she needed to find somewhere safe, away from this whole expedition , then she could celebrate finding her long lost friend.

"Wha-What is happening why are we flying?!" Levy asked scared.  
"You can't see her?" Gajeel asked surprised.  
"See who?" little blunette was now confused.  
Gajeel could sworn that the goddess dragging them was looking familiar to him, yet he couldn't remember where he saw her.

Lyon was conscious again, and he was aware that his lose was only his fault, he promised to himself, that he will personally rip the heads of the traitors.

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They were travelling for five days now, but because of this place you could't say exactly how long. Sometimes they had encountered some minor demons or slave hunters, but Gray was handling them with ease. Lillis was always on his shoulders, when they were walking, she liked the view from the top of his head. Little girl could feel big and mighty and Gray looked like he didn't mind that. In fact you could actually think that said girl was key for him to keep his sanity. They were moments when he could feel his demon powers taking over, but every time he saw scared Lillis near him, he somehow managed to come back.

"Ummm Gray..." the girls started sheepishly, Icesmith knew that she was about to ask something embarrassing.  
"Yes?"  
"Is there you know..." she started to blush.  
"I do not" he replied simply.  
"Is there a girl that you like? You know like really like." she blushed violently. Gray thought for a while "No there's not."  
"Are you sure? I always thought that someone like you would have a dozen of girls." she was digging it.  
"So you were wrong." he was getting annoyed with this.

"Really? There isn't a single girl that was caring about you the whole time when you where in Olympus?" Lillis seemed to be relentless, Gray mind drifted away to the time when he was laying in hospital and he remembered the Death Goddess.

"There was one person..." he said involuntarily and stopped after coming back from his memory trip.  
"Good I would like to meet her, I must know is she's good enough for my older brother." little girl's face was dead serious.  
"Tch, sure, sure but she's not an ordinary person you know?" Gray smiled, he was teasing her.  
"It doesn't matter by brother deserves the best, she will need to pass my tests!" Icesmith thought about Lillis 'testing' Juvia and nearly burst out with a laughter.  
"I don't think that would be a good idea, she's not quite the person you would like to piss off." Gray was trying to somehow change the girl's crazy ideas.

"Hmpf, ok." and she pulled his hair "Oi! What was it for?!' he yelled "Just me being a little sister." and she stuck out her tongue, even that he couldn't see it.

They were walking for some more time, when Lillis yelled "I see it Gray! We're here." , when he looked closely he could see a tremendous gate made from green marble.

"Ok let's hurry up" an he started to run so fast that Lillis nearly fell off his shoulders. When they were near the gate Gray started to examine it, there was no handle, nothing, like it was some kind of a solid green marble wall. Lillis was running around him, trying to help, placing her ear to the door and knocking on them.

"Gray I can't hear anything from the other side, are you sure it's here?" she asked him gently.  
"I don't know, ok? Maybe the living can't enter the Elysium after all." he said resigned.  
"Don't give up Gray!" she stood up and yelled enthusiastically, but after a moment she started to tremble.

"What happened Lillis?" he was concerned about the little girl, but she only pointed in the distance, there were to figures approaching to their current position.  
"D-Dragons..." was all that she could say to him.

Two of them were getting closer and closer, you could see now their appearances. They were both young men of average height, but except that they were totally different. The one on the left had blonde hair and was wearing a short blue vest that was exposing his muscular upper abdominals, dark blue gloves reaching up to his mid-bicep and a loose pants.

The other one had quite long black messy hair. He was wearing a long black cape reaching down to his feet. Below it he wear a plain grayish tinted shirt with brown cuffs, he had also pale blue cloth waist guard consisting of four long pieces of cloth reaching donw below his knees. They weren't emanating any kind of power, but they stopped a few meters from Gray an Lillis.

"So you have already come, Icesmith." blonde haired one said.  
"How do you know me?" Gray asked suspiciously, little girl hid behind his back.  
"Tch, everybody knows you down here" other one replied.  
"Who are you anyway?" Icemsith was getting irritated.  
"We're the Twin Dragons guarding the entrance to Elysium, if you want to enter the sacred land, you need to beat us. I'm Sting Eucliffe and this is Rouge Cheney" blonde said politely.  
"Tsk, it will be easy enough, Lillis go and hide somewhere." Gray said.

"Mmmmm Gray I don't like this, can we just go home?" she asked, scared of the two dragons in front of her. "No." was all his answered.  
"Just be careful brother I don't like them" and she ran off to a safe spot, from where she could watch their fight safely.

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Erza was sitting in her 'room' but it was more like a prison for her, sure she got everything she wanted, but the awareness that Jellal's body was taken by Hades, was slowly killing her. Titania knew that he was somewhere there, every time when she addressed the King of Underworld as Jellal she could see him flinching a little bit as if it was some kind of response for her. High priestess was also worried about her friends, she didn't know what was happening with them after the attack on Olympus, she had no clue. Her home from that time was a damned golden cage, Erza assumed that she was some kind of a bargaining card for Hades in case of Laxus's attack.

She had long, wavy scarlet hair with and elegant, loosely tied knot at the back and was wearing a long black backless dress with a leather collar on her neck it was symbol of her enslavement. Erza stood up and started to walk to the throne room. Hades was sitting on his throne and as usual he was drinking wine from his golden cup.

"Why are so sad priestess?" he asked her teasingly and she said nothing. Hades stood up and walked up to her, he touched her cheek with his hand and grabbed her collar.  
"I know exactly what you want..." he whispered in her ear, Erza's body involuntarily shivered.  
"There's a way to restore your friend to his previous state." he said while turning his back to her, she grabbed his hand.  
"Tell me how, I'll do anything" Hades smiled.  
"You say anything?" he asked with an evil voice.  
"Yes." she was determined.  
"Good, but now it's time for us to pay a visit to your old friend, you remember Gray right?" and they vanished in the shadows.

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	14. Chapter 14 : Bitter Victory

**I heard that you like Lillis, goooood.**

Gray was looking carefully at his opponents, he was sure that Lillis was somewhere safe if not for that he won't be able to use his full power in the battle. Two dragons were just casually standing there, smiling to him in a teasing way. Icesmith was still unaware of their powers so it was reckless for him to attack them directly, yet he decided to take a first move with his long range attack.

"Ice make: Freeze Lancer" a bunch of ice lances went in the direction of his opponents, but they were rejected with just their bare hands, it looked like enemy was't weak after all.  
"Shall I go first Rouge?" blonde man asked his comrade.  
"Do as you wish, I don't care about this fight." raven haired man replied emotionlessly and sat on a nearby rock. Sting charged on Gray, with his bare hands, but ice mage was prepared for that.

"Ice-Make : Death Scythe." and a giant deadly weapon appeared in his hands while he rushed on one of the dragons. When they clashed, you could hear the sound of the ground trembling, even uninterested before Rouge raised his head in curiosity. Two men were testing their strength, it was like some sort of impasse, where the two identical forces collide.

"Looks like you're no weakling after all, Icesmith." Sting said and started to press on Gray harder.  
"Tch, you will be dead in no time." was all he replied, but blonde man just smiled evilly.  
"White Dragon's Roar." this attack forced Gray to perform a dodge. Now there was some distance before him and his opponent.  
"Tsk, so you're a Dragon Slayer, just as I expected. I guess they don't call you a dragon for nothing."  
"I guess so, and how do you plan on dealing with it?" Sting asked.

"Just look." Gray switched to his Ice Bringer, and charged on surprised Dragon Slayer, who didn't have enough time to react, and sent him flying a few meters distance.

"All of you Dragon Slayers are pretty resistant to standard magic attacks, but what about some demon Ice-Make, huh?" Gray said in victorious manner, but his expressions became grim when he found out that Sting was mostly unscratched.

"I'll show you why Demons are beneath Dragons." blonde man said seriously,

"White Drive" and an aura of bright light covered his body. Sting disappeared for a moment reappearing right in front of Gray, Icesmith didn't have enough time to block incoming attack "White Dragon's Punch." If you were there you could hear few of Gray's ribs letting out a cracking noise, but Icesmith was to close to his goal and losing in this fight was not an option for him, he managed to turn around in mid air and counterattacked.

"Ice-Make: Arrows" and in a brief moment thousand of ice arrows were fired, overwhelming Sting, but blonde man was ready for a situation like this.

"Holy Ray!" he yelled and barrage of beams were send in the direction of flying Gray, destroying all his arrows in their way and then hitting directly the Icesmith. Ice mage dropped on the ground, his body was covered in bruises and scratches, it was definitely a tough fight for him, but he needed to win.

All this time Lillis was hiding behind a big rock, covering her ears with her hands. Little girl was scared, so scared that she didn't have courage to peek how the fight was going, she didn't know if Gray was winning or not. Girl felt the ground shaking, when a familiar feeling hit her, a feeling of immense cold. It made her take look from her hiding spot, the fighting ground was slowly began to cover in ice.

Gray was laying in some kind of rubble, made from his impact, he was unconsciously freezing everything around him, he was close to his limits but there was no demon mist around him, Gray was still himself. But for how long? Icesmith stood up, blood was dripping from his mouth, he had that terrible looking wound on his back, probably from the impact.

"Oh, so you managed to survive that, I'm impressed." Sting said to him.  
"I just needed some motivation." and he looked at the place where Lillis was peeking on his fight from her hideout.

"Not let me show you how it's done. Don't lose your focus, don't relax even for a bit or it will cost you your life." he said to the blonde man. The ice covering battlefield was progressing.  
"Ha ha, you think you can defeat me with Ice Floor? Don't make me laugh." White Dragon Slayer was amused, "Sting you idiot get out of there!" suddenly Rouge yelled to him, but it was to late,

"Ice-Make: Gungnir" he got hit by two Colossal Ice-Spears, which appeared right from the frozen floor and was trapped in a block of ice unable to move. But Gray wasn't about to stop there  
"Ice-Make: Gungnir" this time a normal sized spear appeared in Gray's right demon hand and he tossed it aiming right for Sting's heart, but it was stopped by Rouge's Shadow Dragon's Roar, newcomer walked right to his comrade trapped in the block of ice.

"Gungnir, the Odyn's sacred spear, that always hits it target. He's a god of that barbaric Nords. How you're even able to use this spell?" Rouge was getting a little scared of Gray.  
"Who knows?" Gray replied teasingly, he was in his battle mood right now and started to rush at his new opponent.

"Ice-Make: Impact", a hammer, monstrous in size appeared above Rouge's head, but he dodged it and said  
"Too slow" but he was in a big trouble, Icesmith had him right there where he wanted him Gray jumped to him with his Cold Excalibur in his hands and landed a direct hit, sending him flying, but then something weird happened Cheney just got up like nothing has happened.

"Eh I guess we'll need to use that after all, c'mon Sting how long you wanted to wait with it?" and a dark aura surrounded him and what was more of a surprise a white aura started to emanate from frozen Sting as well. Gray eyes became wide, he couldn't believe in what was happening. Suddenly the ice block, where Sting was trapped just shattered.

"Dragon Force!" they yelled in unison and Gray was throw back just by the force of air pressure surrounding them. When Icesmith looked at them he couldn't believe it, their bodies were fully covered with actual dragon scales, and the energy they were emanating was on a horribly high level.

"You can be scared, it's normal for a puny beings likes you. Now prepare to be destroyed, because where is light there is always the shadow." Rouge said as he vanished in Sting's shadow. Gray couldn't comprehend what was happening, but he needed to think fast or else he will end up dead.

He decided to take the initiative and attacked first with Ice Bringer, it was providing him the highest possible mobility in his current state. Sting just simply dodged it, but the fact that Rouge emerged form blonde's shadow caught Gray off guard, which allow Shadow Demon Slayer to land a point blank hit on the Icesmith. Gray was taking a heavy beating from them, but there was one last ace in his sleeve.

"Ice Make: Ice-Canon" and he started to shoot right at them, trying to make them back off to create some distance between them, it was now or never for him, the problem was that he never did it with his new demon limbs, but he needed to try. Gray just stopped and was standing, his head was down.  
"You give up?" Rouge went out of Sting's shadow, it was the opportunity that Icesmith was waiting for.

"Ice Make..." he paused for a while "Unlimited" and vast amount of ice weapons started to appear around Gray. All of them were connected by some kind of a large ice chain, it was surrounding him. Twin dragons were standing there, their eyes were wide.  
"One Sided Chaotic Dance!" Gray yelled and all of his weapons were thrown in the direction of his opponents, and they were not only flying to them from Gray side, they were even rising from the frozen floor like spikes trying to pierce through them.

Gray was so exhausted that he dropped on the ground onto his back, he hadn't any strength left, but it looked like he did it, every bone in his body was crackling. He could hear someone running in his direction, it was Lillis, she was crying and yelling. "You did it Gray!"

When the girl was near him, she became terrified.  
"Please don't die Gray, I will go for help, just lay here and don't move." Lillis was panicking, he looked like a total mess.  
"Shhh Lillis, don't panic everything will be ok, I need you to bring me one thing from our backpacks ok?" he was trying to calm her a little bit.  
"_Sniff_ Y-yes" she nodded and asked "What is it?"  
"You need to find long black feather in my backpack and then break it, ok?" she said to her gently.  
"Y-yes!" and she ran to the place where she has hid their backpacks.

Suddenly Gray hear a loud crash, he turned his head to the direction where it came from and saw two people, one of them looked familiar to him. His eyes became wide at the realization that it was Erza and Hades. He didn't know what they were doing here but it couldn't be anything good.

They were getting closer and closer to him.  
"So you aren't dead after all, I expected my pawns to be better than this." Hades stated.  
"Gray are you okay?" Erza asked worriedly, but she didn't try to help him or anything.  
"Y-yea" he replied to her "What you want from me Hades?" he asked bluntly.  
"Ooooooo nothing special, just that necklace of yours." he pointed at it.  
"My silver necklace?"  
"Gray just please give it to him." Erza begged him, that was rather unusual.

But their conversation was interrupted by someone.

"Fuck you Icesmith, you are the real deal after all, but still, you're not enough to beat us." Gray's eyes were filled with fear, it was Sting's voice. Twin Dragon Slayers were heavily wounded, but were able to walk.  
"And look what we found." Rouge was holding Lillis by the back of her neck.  
"Leave me alone you stupid dragon!" she was kicking in air, trying to get free, there was a broken black feather in her right hand.  
"What we should do with her my Lord?" blonde man asked  
"Kill her" Hades stated, Gray and Erza eyes became wide.

"You can't do it!" Scarlet yelled at him.  
"You remember our little arrangement, don't you?" he asked the priestess not even turning to her.  
"Y-yes." and just like that she was listening to him, Gray couldn't believe his eyes.  
"Erza what the fuck is going on?!" he yelled at her.  
"I'm sorry I can't do anything..." was all she said, Icesmith was trying to get up, but it was pointless, he was too weak.

"Gray! Please help me, I don't want to die!" Lillis was yelling through her tears.  
"Leave the girl alone, I'll do whatever you want!" Gray was begging them.  
"Unfortunately there is nothing you can offer me. Rouge hurry up and do it." Hades commanded his subordinate.

"You were in a wrong place at the wrong time" he said to the girl and then to Gray  
"Look Icesmith as all that you hold dear perish." an he just rip of the girl left arm and leg, tossing her alongside Gray. He was observing with wide eyes as her little body was falling.

"NO! NO! NO! NO! NO!. I WILL FUCKING KILL YOU! AND YOU TOO ERZA! YOU HEAR ME?!" he was yelling thorugh his tears, Erza was hiding her face from him, it was too much for her, she felt disgust towards herself.

Suddenly Gray felt something tapping his right shoulder, it was Lillis right hand, he turned his head to her, she was white as snow, puddle of blood was forming under her body.

"Are we going home now brother...?" she asked.  
"No, please no." but Gray couldn't do anything, his heart was tearing apart.  
"... but Gray you promised..." and the light in her eyes faded.

In that very moment Gray whole world became black, he lost last ray of light in his life and didn't even know where he was, everything was covered in the darkness, yet you could see a pair of yellow eyes in there.

"You want to save her?" a devilish voice asked him.  
"Yes" Gray answered, with no sign of emotion in his voice.  
"You know the price."  
"It doesn't matter, nothing does as long as you'll save her."  
"It's nice to make business with you son of Silver." a devilish white grin appeared in the dark.

Hades was about to claim his victory, by removing Gray's necklace from his body, it was strange because Icemith wasn't moving for a while, maybe he was in some kind of a shock. Suddenly a an ice hand grabbed him, he instinctively jumped off, but what he saw was very strange, Gray was getting up from the ground, but his eyes were different they were somehow yellow, inhuman you could say.

"Who are you?!" Hades asked.  
"Ooooooh so you know that I'm not Fullbuster?" and he smiled in an evil manner. Erza was terrified as a high priestess she could feel who was in possession of Gray's body, it was a demon. He walked to Lillis body and place his hands on her wounds, they healed immediately and she started to breath once again then he made her an ice limbs, same as Gray had.

"Ok, she's safe, now time to get some fun!" demon said happily.  
"Did you just resurrected her?" Rouge asked in disbelieve.  
"None of your concern, now time to change appearances a little bit." demon said out loud.

Gray scales begin to cover all of his body, ice spikes growing from his knees and elbows got longer, there were also new ones coming right out from his spine and an ice tail, he got also a pair of horns.

"Better."  
"Answer our Master's questions!" Rouge yelled and grabbed the demon by his arm.  
"Rouge get the fuck out of there!" Sting was trying to warn his comrade but it was too late.  
"Frozen Plague" demon said emotionlessly, that two words made Rouge's whole body covered in ice and it just shattered into tiny little pieces.  
"ROUGE!" White Demon Slayer yelled.  
"I can use only the same magic, as the host, but damn Icesmith's ice magic is top notch. Silver you've a talented son, sadly he's in my hands now." demon was performing a monologue  
"You will pay for this you fucking demon!" and Sting rushed at him, but the demon grab him by his head before even he was able to react and threw him on the ground.  
"I'm remember you. Your pal was the one that said that demons are beneath dragons, right?" and he kicked him in his chest. "Apparently he was wrong. Oh and you should remember that Gungnir always hit its target." and he pierced Sting's heart with an ice spear.

Erza was terrified by that beings power, it was tremendous, was it the demon from the legends? She could't believe what she was seeing.

"Who are you?" Hades asked once again.  
"I don't have a name." demon replied, uninterested. "Tell me where Silver is."  
"He's not here as you can see, give me that necklace of yours and I'll think about helping you."  
"I'm afraid that I cannot do that, you see this necklace and this brat's body are the only things that can lure out Silver from his precious 9th Gate."  
"So why you won't go with us, you can wait for him in my castle." Hades proposed.  
"I don't like you, whatever you are, but I'll accept you proposition, staying here will be boring, but there is one thing that I need to do first." and he made some kind of ice letter.  
"What is it?" Hades asked curiously. "That's a last message for the little girl from Fullbuster"  
"Are we going to leave her here?" Lord of Underworld looked at the girl.  
"There's someone coming here for her, now let's go" Hades, Erza and demon vanished in to the darkness leaving unconscious Lillis in the middle of frozen hell.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

They were hiding in a cave high in the mountains on the edge of the Wild. Juvia, Gajeel and Levy were safe from expedition, for now, when the adrenaline dropped a little, conversation has started.

"Juvia is so happy, that she has found you Gajeel-kun!" and she hugged him, tears were dropping from her eyes, Dragon Slayer was feeling uneasy, because he didn't know who this woman was, but she saved their lives so he assumed that she was on their side.

"I'm sorry do disappoint you, but I don't have any idea who are you." he said apologetically.  
"_Sniff_ Juvia knows, but she will try to remind you." you could tell that she was sad, yet she smiled.  
"Who are you talking to Gajeel?" Levy asked, she couldn't see anyone.  
"Ah Juvia forgot!" and somehow she became visible for the little blunette, Levy paled.  
"De-Death goddess?" she mumbled terrified.

"Yes, but fear not, Juvia won't hurt Gajeel's girlfriend." she said.  
"Girlfriend?!" both yelled in unison, blushing.  
"Sorry, Juvia misunderstood." she said apologetically  
"We should be safe here from Lyon's Expedition."

Suddenly Juvia felt a pain in her chest and nearly fainted from it.  
"What happened goddess?" Levy asked concerned.  
"No, no, no, no, no, no please no." she was repeating like a mantra, Juvia dropped to her knees and caught her head with both of her hands.  
"Oi, Juvia what happened?" Gajeel asked, but she was lost, her mind drifted away to the memory of that day.

/

Juvia was sitting on a chair near Gray's bed at hospital in Olympus, he was sleeping, she liked how peaceful he was looking in his sleep as if he didn't nearly destroyed everything in his rampage. But there was also another reason, when he was asleep he couldn't hear her.

"Ummm Juvia knows that you're asleep Gray-sama, but she wants to give you something..." she said while snatching one of her black feathers.  
"This is a present for, you." and she placed it on his night table.  
"It's no ordinary feather, it'll allow Juvia to..." she stopped for a moment, it was clearly painful for her.  
"to come and take your life, when the time comes, you know?" tears were forming in her eyes.  
"So when you'll be on the verge of death, please brake it and Juvia will know where you are and will come immediately, to... to take care of you." she started to cry silently.

/

"We need to go to the Elysium Gate, NOW!" Juvia yelled at them, she was panicking.  
"Ok, ok just chill a little.", she grabbed Gajeel by his clothes  
"You don't understand anything... Gray-sama is there."  
"Gray? What are we waiting for? Hurry up and transport us there Gajeel." Levy said.  
"Ok, hang on." he grabbed two blunettes and vanished in the shadows.

**Not nice Erza, not nice. I've a lot of thing going on my University in the next few weeks, so I'll update irregularly. A little cliffhanger, I know :P Review?  
**


	15. Chapter 15 : Grief, Lust and Hope

**I'm a freaking machine and I might slightly overdid it. I need to thank the Guest, his review motivated me to do this :D**

There was a loud crash when the party had landed, Juvia and others emerged from the dark mist, which was a side effect of traveling through the Shadow Realm, the journey took them some time, but it was still faster than flying here all by herself from the Wild. After the dizziness has passed she instantly flew to the place where her black feather was used, leaving Gajeel and Levy behind, only to find body of the White Dragon Slayer pierced with an ice spear. Juvia flew even higher to got a better view, but it was useless that she could see was the frozen battlefield, there was no clue of what happened there. Death slowly flew down, and again she dropped to her knees, this whole situation didn't make any sense for here.

"Did you find him goddess?" Levy asked sheepishly, she had a worried look on her face.  
"Juvia didn't find anything, there is nothing here except the body of the White Dragon." Gajeel turned to take a look at the dead Dragon Slayer.  
"Damn he sure took a hell of a beating, that Icesmith must be some kind of a monster." Gajeel said with some kind of respect.

"No... it wasn't Gray-sama, can't you feel it?" Juvia said resigned, still on her knees, she could felt it, the tainted power surrounding the area. Gajeel closed his eyes and focused for a while.  
"Demon..." he said with anxiety in his voice and then continued.

"So he was able to pull a trick like that after all. I really don't remember you goddess, but I can tell that you were rather close with him."  
"Juvia was... admiring him." she said more to herself than to him.

"If you're interested, there is a way to know what happened here." Levy said, looking carefully around.  
"What do you mean?" Juvia asked curiously.  
"I know the technique that allows to replay things that happened, it's like some kind of projection." little blunette started to explain, you could tell that she was really proud of this.

"So why are you waiting? Do it dammit!" Gajeel yelled at her.  
"Ok, ok." she made a really big rune circle that was covering nearly the whole frozen battlefield.  
"But I must warn you, it will look like it's real. Are you ok with that?" Runemaster asked concerned.  
"Yeah, just do it." Gajeel hurried her.

Levy, Gajeel and Juvia were standing outside the marked area, little blunette clapped her hand together and said "Let the past be present, let the actions that happened be replayed. History of the Fallen." and the area just exploded with the bright light, Levy was in some kind of a trans now, she could hear other and talk to them, but she was unable to move.

But Gajeel and Juvia could see clearly what was happening, even that it was all very quickly, how Gray and a little girl have found the gate, how he was fighting twin dragons with all his strength, how Erza and Hades appeared and how he had thrown his humanity away. At that moment Juvia started to cry, it was to painful for her to watch her Gray-sama turning in some kind of twisted monster that didn't resemble him in any way. That demon was hideous, his yellow inhuman eyes were the worst part.

"Please stop, Juvia begs you to stop." she couldn't take it anymore. There were at the part where the demon, Erza and Hades were vanishing, leaving the little girl alone in the middle of the frozen hell.  
"Wait, there is someone coming." Gajeel noticed a blurred shape coming from the far end of the area. "Dammit why it's blurred?! Shrimp try do something about it."  
"I-I can't..." you could see a fuzzy shape picking up the unconscious girl from the ground and immediately leaving the area after that.

Exhausted Levy dropped to her knees, this spell was taking a lot of her energy, but it was worth the cost, she looked around her, Gajeel face was serious and Juvia was still crying, she was mumbling Gray-sama all the time. Iron Dragon Slayer spoke first.

"It looks like Icesmith is gone for sure, one person less to worry about." Juvia looked at him with craziness in her eyes.  
"D-Don't speak of Gray-sama as if he is a demon." Gajeel got closer to the goddess and grabbed her by her armor.  
"He's not longer himself, there is nothing we can do about it, are you able to comprehend that? You are supposed to be a goddess, not some fucking teenage girl." he said to her harshly.

"Gajeel, stop it." Levy tried to stop him, but she was too tired to do anything.  
"No, she needs to understand this." he barked out at the little blunette.  
"Bu-But Juvia loves him." Death said, she was scared, her whole world was getting turned upside down.  
"And does he love you?" Gajeel asked, but only the silence answered him.

"That's what I thought. You're living in a lie, he tricked you to live a little longer, and now he became a demon, there is nothing left of him, Icesmith that you have known is gone, your Gray-sama is no more. Do you understand now?" he looked her in the eyes and rain started to fall again.  
"Yes, Juvia understands." he let go of her.

"Goddess if there something you need ju-" but Levy was interrupted by the Death.  
"No. Juvia knows what she needs to do now." her face was dead serious, something has changed in her.  
"Which is...?" Gajeel asked curiously.

"Juvia needs to take Icesmith's life as she should do the first time when they've met." her eyes were somehow empty, as if there was something missing in them, there was no more Gray-sama, nor it'll ever be, then she put a faint smile on her face and said to Iron Dragon Slayer.

"Even if you don't remember, you're still a good friend Gajeel-kun." he looked up to the sky, rain was hitting his face, after that he looked at his arm, where a certain sentence was carved _Remember the rain. _"Yeah I may not remember, but I know..."

Levy decided to break the silence.  
"We still don't know who was that guy and why he took that little girl with him." she was thinking about it for a while now, it made no sense to her.

"We'll talk about that later, now we need to find a hiding spot where we can rest." Gajeel replied, he was worried that some tough enemies might come here, lured by the high level magic that was used in the battle.

"Juvia knows a safe place, please follow her." and they moved slowly forward, leaving the frozen grave of Gray's sanity.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Lyon, Natsu and Lucy were in the biggest tent in their camp, Strategist has regained his cool after the failure which was his attempt to catch two traitors. He was beaten like a child and what was even worse by that little Runemaster, rumors about her cunning were true after all. But this wasn't t the topic of their meeting.

"Tell me Dragneel..." Lyon started "How the hell you were defeated?"  
"I've already told you. It was like something invisible hit me." Natsu was massaging his jaw, it was hurting him like hell.  
"But someone must have seen it." Vastia looked on Lucy, she was avoiding his gaze, clearly she was hiding something from him.

"You want to tell us something priestess?" he asked her, but there was only silence.  
"I'm telling you Lyon, that there was no one, it was some sort of a Runemaster's trick." Natsu insisted.  
"Probably you're right." Vastia said, but his eyes were still on Lucy.

"You know what Dragneel? You should check if Jura doesn't need any help with that hounds of yours, they are hard to control. If you know what I mean." and he made a fake smile.  
"Yeah, sure." Natsu wasn't suspecting anything, so he left the tent.

"Umm... I think I should go as well." Aphrodite priestess said sheepishly, she got up and started to go out, but Lyon grabbed her arm.  
"I think that you should stay." he had this piercing cold eyes.  
"I really need to go, Lyon." Lucy was getting scared, she heard tales about Lyon, and they weren't from the good kind.

"Maybe I need to repeat myself, I think that you should stay." and his grip on her arm tightened.  
"Ok, ok I'll stay a little bit longer." and she sat back on a chair, she was wearing nothing more, than a white long white dress, a little too revealing, but it was how Aphrodite priestesses liked to look, alluring and seductive, overwhelming men senses. Lyon walked up to the table with alcohol.

"Do you want some wine?" he asked her gently, she couldn't find out what he was up to.  
"Yes, please." Lucy thought that drinking some wine with him won't do any harm.  
"Now please tell me what you saw back then on top of that cave." he sat right in front of her with a glass of wine in his hand and was looking at her with that piercing black eyes of his.

"I don't know what are you talking about, I haven't seen anything." she was trying to bluff, she needed to protect the information of Death helping Gray as long as it was possible.

"You sure are a stubborn priestess, I don't really want to become enemies with you Lucy." and the air temperature in the tent started to drop, it was making her shiver, more and more.  
"Lyon please stop this." she was really scared now, it was starting to look like some kind of interrogation.  
"Just answer my question and you will be free to go, it's not much if you'll think about it." he was persistent.

"I should really go now." she stood up an was trying to get to the exit, but he grabbed her and pushed against the stake supporting this whole construction. She was caught off guard so he managed to freeze her ankles and wrists to the stake, she was looking like a slave, waiting for her master to punish her. Lyon was covering her mouth with his hand, so she couldn't scream for help.

"Now I will remove my hand and you'll behave nicely." he commanded Lucy and she nodded in response.  
"What you want from me Lyon?" she asked scared.

"I want the truth and my advice for you is to hurry up or it'll be getting more and more uncomfortable for you." he wasn't moving away from her, in fact he was leaning closer and closer, she could feel his ice cold breath on her neck. The worst part of it was that it felt good, Lucy was disgusted by herself.

"I know that you don't appreciate this, what will you precious Dragneel think if he'll catch us here, just tell me what you saw back then and it'll end." he insisted, whispering into her ear and then biting it a little bit. Lucy let out a moan and blushed, she was torn apart between keeping the secret about the Death Goddess and keeping her loyalty to Natsu, her mind was getting intoxicated with this whole atmosphere and Lyon's mind games. He was indeed a Master Strategist, he could cause so many emotions in in the same time like pleasure, guilt and disgust.

"You... You're sick." was all that Aphrodite priestess was able to mumble, she was slowly losing it, when he was moving his cold hands across her bare back and hips, she was involuntarily biting her lower lip.

"Some people says so, but isn't madness just an idea of living our lives?" and he pulled her head back by the hair, revealing her neck and causing a little pain, but the pleasurable one. And started to bite her neck, it was too much for her, Lucy needed to decide now or else she will lost it all.

"Ok, I'll tell you... just please... stop." she begged him and he stopped but priestess still could feel his breath on her neck.

"It was the Death Goddess, she was helping Gray all this time, you couldn't see her because you are not a priest, Gray made a deal with her." and just like that her ice shackles disappeared, Lucy fell to the floor and Lyon was back in his little world of revenge.

"That fucker , I knew it, I fucking knew it, there was no way he could survive that fight with Deliora. But how he managed to lure a goddess on his side, it's very interesting, I must investigate it later. You are free to go priestess." Lucy stood up and took a walk of shame, she hated herself, but not for revealing the information but for actually enjoying more than little what Lyon was doing with her, all that she wanted to do was to dig herself a hole and die in it. Luckily there were no marks from biting but Natsu keen nose will pick up the smell of another man in an instant, she needed to take a bath, a long one, the problem was, that they were in the middle of the Wild.

Suddenly she heard a loud scream, "Help! Somebody please help!" it was Chelia. Lucy rushed to her and Wendy's tent, only to find frightened God Slayer and a pale Oracle in there. High priestess know what was going about to happen, the next prophecy was coming, Wendy started to limply levitate, her eyes were closed, suddenly she spoke with an unnatural voice.

**_Once he was by despair blinded,_**  
**_and he became what he always despised,_**  
**_wherever he goes the Death will follow,_**  
**_he feels no guilt, because his heart is hollow,_**  
**_there is no mercy in his yellow eyes,_**  
**_for his opponents awaits only ice,_**  
**_but there is a way to stop his madness,_**  
**_you need to cure little girl's sadness._**

After that Wendy fell on the floor, Lucy rushed to help her, she tried to wake her up, but it was no use, little girl was still unconscious after her prophecy. In the corner Chelia was trembling from fear, her eyes were full of anxiety.

"It was about that cursed Icesmith, wasn't it?! He became a demon!" Chelia yelled, she was to scared to keep her calm. "I knew it, I knew it that he was a demon, Master Lyon was right all this time! " girl started to cry, she was terrified of him since she first time saw Gray. Even the brief memory of him was making her collapse.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Lillis woke up with a scream, last thing she could remember was crying Gray and giant pain, but now she felt nothing. She looked around the room, it was unfamiliar to her, anywhere she was it wasn't their home. Little girl jumped off the bed and had that strange feeling, like something was missing. She looked at her hands and feet and her eyes became wide, her left limbs were missing, instead she got an ice ones, just like Gray. At first she was happy, because she thought that now they have something in common, Lillis always was a little jealous of Icesmith's ice prosthetic limbs. But then it hit her that her brother wasn't here, she was alone in a unknown place, girl sat on the ground and started to cry, she didn't know what to do. When suddenly the huge doors to her room have opened.

There was a middle-aged man with dark hair and a stubbly beard standing in them. He had a large scar running from the top of his forehead down the left side of his face until it reaches his left ear. He was wearing two earrings, one on each ear, with crosses at the end of them. His attire was that of a plated chest armor with the words "ABSOLUTE ZERO". He also was wearing a black bottom, gloves and shoulder armor with two golden hammers painted on them, it was the symbol of Tartaros.

Lillis stopped crying and asked shyly

"Who are you mister?"  
"Hello there little girl, my name is Silver and your is?" he replied politely.  
"My name is Lillis, nice to meet you mister. Ummm... can you tell me where am I?"she needed to know that.  
"You are in my home." Silver smiled to her. "Did you saw my brother anywhere?" she asked, looking around.  
"Brother?" man was surprised.  
"Yes! I've an older brother, he was there with me, his name is Gray!" girl said energetically.  
"I'm sorry it looks like he left but he told me to give you this letter." and he gave her the ice letter , she touched it and it opened.

_Dear Lillis,_

_If you read this it's mean that I'm not around anymore, I've left for a very important quest, that feather that you broke should summon a friend of mine that we're talking about, you should like her, she's very nice and will take care of you until my return and please be nice to her. I promise that I'll come back for you and then we'll be playing any game that you'll like, just wait for me._

_See you soon,_  
_Gray_

Little girl dropped the letter and it crushed on the floor into tiny pieces, she started to cry once again.

"H-He left... He left just like everyone else." girl's hands were shaking.  
"Don't worry, he'll be back." man was assuring her.  
"And how can you know that mister?!" she yelled at Silver.  
"I know my son, he'll keep his promise no matter what." and he smiled to her, Lillis eyes became wide.  
"You're Gray's daddy?" she asked shocked.  
"Yes, and I guess I'm yours too now?" Lillis was still sad, because Gray wasn't here, but that information gave her new hope.  
"Do you believe in him?" he asked.  
"Yes!" girl said with new enthusiasm.  
Silver picked up the little girl up and sat her on his shoulders.  
"Now let us take a look around your new home." he said and walked with her through the doors.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

**Yep I overdid it. Review?**


	16. Chapter 16 : Dinners

**Guys it's 2 am in here so please be gentle and I may be drunk a little bit.**

They were sitting in some kind of a dining room, place was enormously big, but that was no surprise, after all it was in Hades Palace. Dark Lord was placed at the top of the table as the host, he was wearing his usual dark cape with a hood, on his left was sitting Erza in her black backless dress, she had long, wavy hair with an elegant, loosely tied knot at the back, Titania had guilt and sadness painted on her face. On the other side of the table was nameless demon possessing Gray's body, he looked rather bored, with his ice legs on the table, playing with his tail. On the right side of Hades were sitting the Strausess with confused looks on their faces, they didn't have a clue what was happening right now. Servants started to bring in plates full of the finest food and drinks.

"Nice place you've here I could just kill you and take over." demon said to the god.  
"If you want, you can try, but then you won't be able to find Silver, not even in a thousand years." Hades was aware of the difference in the matter of raw power between him and his guest.  
"So, how we should address You, our blessed guest?" Mira asked politely, her master told her how to behave around their special guest, also she was afraid of him, take over mage could sense a strange and great power emanating from him, yet she couldn't name it.

"As I've said before I don't have a name." he simply replied not even looking at anyone in the room, apparently ceiling was more interesting for him.  
"But people before must have called you somehow, being wielding such power couldn't just be unnamed." Mira smiled faintly, she was scared, a devilish grin appeared on the monster face.

"You're a right they used to call me Kai, for the chaos I was making, back in the good old days. Yo big guy, arent' you eating anything? " he looked at Elfman, who was too afraid to even did anything.

"Ah please forgive my younger brother, he's just shy around person so powerful as you." demon's yellow eyes focused on her face, and he smiled in response. They started to eat, whole dinner was passing without excesses and after twenty minutes, servants came back to take empty plates, and brought wine for them. Suddenly there was a loud crash, everybody turned their faces to Erza, whose hands were on the table.

"Why, tell why he did that, why Gray sacrificed his own life. Tell me!" she yelled on Kai, Titania couldn't take this anymore, it was killing her, she needed to know.  
"Isn't it obvious?" demon asked her, Strausses were looking at the whole situation with curiosity.

"You saw it with your own eyes priestess, that little girl was lately the only person in his life. Even I can understand why he did it. Abandoned by his friends, hated by the people, abomination, cursed Icesmith, that was what they were calling him. His own brother wants to kill him. If you could see him as did I you would know that he was on the edge of his sanity, but I couldn't take over, he was still resisting. But after he got this magnificent limbs, I was able to took over his heart easily each time when he was raging, you must have hear about Ice Demon's Rampage in Olympus." he stopped for a while to let his word sank in Scarlet's mind.

"An when he met that girl, he was finally able to find some peace, but she died right in front of his eyes, so he made a deal with me."  
"Liar! Gray would never do something like that." Erza stood up she was ready to fight with Kai in defence of her friend's dignity.

"Let me ask you priestess where were you when he was dying, where were you when that girl was getting killed? Oh yes! You were right near him, yet you've done nothing and you call yourself a friend of his." Erza sat back, hiding her face in her hands, even the servants standing near them were listening carefully.

"A-a-a, no eavesdropping." Kai rised up his hand and all of them got pierced by ice spikes, rising from the floor. Mira's right side of face was covered in blood, her eyes became wide.

"Damn I hate those servants, now will somebody show me my quarters?" he asked jumping off his chair as if nothing has happened.  
"Let me show you them personally, since you've killed most of my servants..." Hades stood up and their vanished in the dark corridor, leaving three speechless people inside the dining room surrounded by dead corpses on ice spikes.

Erza was lying in her royal-sized bed, she was wearing more casual clothes now, her hair were loose. Titania was constantly replaying in her mind the moment, when she left Gray on his own, back there at Elysium gate. When suddenly someone knocked to her door, dragging her out from her imaginary hell, it was rather unusual thing, so she sat on her bed and said "Please come in." It was Mira, she was wearing a Martyrs Infiltration Squad uniform, she was, after all, the highest in rank there, everybody have feared her. Surprisingly two ladies grow fond of each other, there wasn't many women around there, and they've much in common.

"Ummm... I saw earlier that you weren't handling well this whole Icesmith thing, so I decided to drop by and check on you." Mira started, she didn't want to make Erza more sad and depressed, she wanted to help her.

"I left him and that little girl back then, on a certain death, Mira!" Scarlet yelled, tears began to form in her eyes. "I became a monster, no other than that Kai guy." she hid her face in her hands.

Mira walked slowly to bed, she sat right near her and began to stare somewhere in the distance.

"No, you're not a monster, you feel guilt and disgust to yourself, that means that you're not a monster Erza. You're nothing like Hades, who can kill anyone without any hesitation. We're just mortals in the end all of us are driven by lust. What is more you made right choice back then, leaving your friend resulted in saving his and that girl's life." Erza looked at her carefully, Elfman sister looked like she was somewhere else.

"You want to bring back your beloved friend so much as I want my sister alive once again. There's nothing wrong in chasing you dreams, even if it makes you a little selfish in the eyes of others as long as you don't lose your humanity when walking down your path."

"But what's the point of living a life of regret in order to obtain one selfish goal?" Erza asked. Mira looked at her with dead serious face.

"I remember each man that was killed by me since I joined Hades side. Most of the time I can't sleep or even eat, the feeling I've each time that I kill a person that has trusted me with his life makes me want to kill myself, but if that will bring Lisanna back I will do it even a thousand more time if needed. You can ask my brother if you don't want to believe me. I don't care what people thinks about me."

Titania looked at her with sad eyes " Even Laxus?" Mira's eyes became wide, she didn't expect that.  
"How do you know about him?!" she yelled.

"Hades has told me, he finds that story, quite... funny." she grabbed white haired woman hand.

"That bastard! I need to leave now. Goodbye Erza." she stood up and walked to the doors, but when she was about to leave, Erza said something that, made her stop in her tracks for a second.

"Every year he visits an unknown grave, on that day you can hear the skies crying with thunders. I believe that's your sister's place of rest?"  
"I said GOODBYE." she left, slamming the doors and leaving a clueless Erza. Mira was walking through the corridors with her head high, but as soon as she was alone in her own room tears started to run down her cheeks. Take over mage rested her back on the doors and were just sliding down, until she was sitting on the floor.

"Laxus all this years you remembered..." was all she said, the rest was just quietly sobbing.

Kai was lying in his bed, he was uninterested with Hades's plan, all he cared of was killing Silver, nothing else mattered for him, if he'll defeat him he'll be finally free, demon was bring back to reality by a loud crack, that floor has made. Demon looked around the room and saw a young, beautiful, dark haired woman standing in his room "I know you. You're the woman that sent us on a stupid quest." he said.

"Ooooh so you remember I must said, that I'm impressed, I never thought that Icesmith had something so powerful hid inside him." she took a seat.  
"Thanks for the flattery, but what do you want, Witch?" demon said with disgust.  
"You even know my title. How scary." Ultear was teasing him. "I'm here to propose you a deal."  
"You should know that making deals with me can be dangerous, take a look at Icesmith his body is just a vessel for me."  
"But a very handsome vessel, I must admit that I like his demonized body more." she licked her lips.

"What are you up to, woman?" Kai was getting lost in her words.  
"I always wanted to kill that pathetic ice mage, he was some kind of replacement of me for my mother. But now that he's gone and you're here why not to take a step forward?" Ul smiled.  
"Tell me more..." demon was getting interested.  
"I assume that when you'll kill Silver, for any reason it is, you'll have a lot of free time, so why not to take over the whole Pantheon?"  
"Sounds nice, but what's your interest in all this?" he asked curiously.  
"Oh, you know I'll be right there beside your side." Ultear stated matter-of-factly.  
"You'll betrayed Hades?" demon asked surprised

"He's nothing more than just another pawn in my hands, not to mention that I find demons much more attractive." she stood up and get on the bed where Kai was laying, she sat on him, he was between her legs. Ultear leaned and kissed him, her hands were on his face, it felt strange because of the scales on his body. She broke the kiss only to see his piercing yellow eyes looking at her lustfully and a devilish grin on his face.

"Let me show you how it's done." demon said and turn the whole situation around, he was on top now. Kai was holing her hands tightly with his own demon ice ones. He started to gently lick and bite her neck, as she was letting out little moans his biting intensified.

"So you want a demon?" he asked whispering in her ear and biting it afterwards. She just let out a quiet "Mhm" when biting her own lips. Ultear was aroused, she always wanted to do it with some kind of an forbidden creature, it was her dirty little secret, that she was ashamed of. But now was the perfect occasion to did it, and to dealt her mother's soul a final blow as a nicely addition.

But suddenly she felt her hands being froze to the bed, she opened her eyes widely with surprise. Kai had a scary devilish smile on his face, she tried using her Lost Magic but it was no use the frozen shackles won't disappear. "Surprised?" he asked."This demon ice won't melt even in million years." he ripped off her clothes, leaving her in nothing more than underwear, temperature in the room started to dropping, she started to shiver a little bit.

Demon tied his tail around her neck and started to suffocate her a little bit, but in a pleasurable way, she was fragile and defenseless.  
"I forgot to warn you that the demons like it rough, but since you're a goddess your wounds should heal in no time." after the only thing that you could hear coming from his room were screams, but nobody knew if they were from pleasure or pain.

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Juvia brought her new allies right before a strangely looking little hut, they were all soaked wet from the rain, Levy and Gajeel got confused faces, little blunette started

"I don't think we'll all fit in that little space." she said shyly.  
"Don't let your eyes deceive you, Runemaster, not everything looks as it seems." Juvia replied to her with a doze of mystery in her voice as she was entering the hut.  
When the three of them came inside, newcomers couldn't believe their eyes, it was so vast, so spacious inside there, mahogany furniture and exotic decorations. Levy rushed to the bookshelves gasping in awe.

"This book are so rare, that I can't even describe it!" she blushed from excitement. "Tch, nerd" Gajeel mumbled under his nose, but certain little woman heard it and threw a knife in his direction yelling "Stupid Gajeel!". He miraculously evaded it, it was easy for him to forgot how she could be deadly.

"Oh I see that you bring us some guest Juvia." Loke appeared out of nowhere scaring everybody.  
"Who the hell are you?!" Gajeel yelled at him.  
"Easy there, I'm Loke, actual god of dreams, nice to meet you guys." he said cheerfully, but more to Levy than Gajeel.  
"Ummm... I'm Levy McGarden the former Royal Runemaster and this is..." she pointed to Iron Dragon Slayer, but was interrupted by orange haired man.  
"You don't need to introduce Mr Redfox he's quite famous here for his... accomplishments." Loke said coldly, this man could be Juvia's lost friend but in his time he committed a lot of bad things.

"Now! You should go to the guest rooms and change, some more appropriate clothes are awaiting for you" they were still wearing their old and torn uniforms.  
"They're on the end of that corridor." he pointed the way to them. "Thank you!" Levy said cheerfully and dragged Gajeel with her. Loke was alone with Juvia in the main room, his face was somehow more serious than a second ago.

"Did you find him." he asked Juvia, not even looking at her.  
"Yes." goddess replied emotionlessly, but the reality was killing her on the inside.  
"So why he's not here with you?" Loke was getting worried.  
"Icesmith has got possessed by a demon, in order to save a little girl he sacrificed his own soul, this time with positive result." each word was like a needle slowly being pinned in her heart.  
"And what are you going to do about it?" he asked curiously.  
"What there is to do? Juvia will kill him as she should long ago." she said, while she was taking off her black leather armor.

"And you think that will solve the problem? You love that man even if he's a demon now, you won't be able to kill him, he's too powerful now to handle, not to mention that he still resembles your beloved Icesmith." a surprisingly calm conversation continued.

"Juvia will not distract her mind with such childish things, he can't be saved, there is no way to reverse such a thing." she was persistent, Juvia was dressing up in her favorite black dress.

"Alright, it's your call but don't blame me later if you'll regret your decision." Loke said with rather sad voice, he couldn't believe in her words, he knew that she thought otherwise, but he didn't want to drag this topic anymore. Their visitors were back, in brand new clothes, Levy was wearing a short orange dress and a red bandana on her head. Gajeel got himself a pair of jeans, casual red t-shirt, black leather jacket with metal spikes on shoulders and also a green bandana.

"See stupid? I knew that bandana will fit you." and little blunette smiled widely.

"Yeah, I guess you were right..." and he blushed slightly, this picture made Juvia forgot for a moment about her own problems, she was so happy that she found Gajeel, even if he didn't remember her, he was still the same old friend of hers. Loke brought them to the table where was a lot of drinks and food, they haven't eat a good meal in ages, so they were practically devouring everything, even the little Levy was no exception. After they were done god of dreams bring some wine and they all started to sip it.

"Truth to be told you two make a great couple." Loke said to Dragon Slayer and Runemaster. In result to his words Gajeel spat the whole wine that was in his mouth and started to choke and Levy just broke the glass in her little hand, blushing violently. Juvia helped her friend and gave another glass of wine to little blunette.

"Oh so you're not a _couple_?" Loke put an accent on the last word. Gajeel nearly choked again and Levy broke another glass in her hand. "Loke please stop this." Juvia begged him.  
"Ok, ok I promise this is the end of it." he laughed out loud, he was having so much fun.

"No we're not." little blunette said when she was back to her normal color.

"But we were sleeping together for some time." Gajeel said matter-of-factly, Juvia covered her mouth with a hand and blushed, Loke just smiled victoriously and Levy broke another glass of wine, but this time there was no blush on her face, she got a murderous gaze.

"Stupid Gajeel!" she yelled at him, grabbed a fork and stab him in his leg with it, then she got up and ran away from the table to her room.  
"Juvia will talk to her." Death goddess stood up and rushed after Levy.

Gajeel was left in the room with Loke, he was slowly processing what just happened.

"You aren't good with ladies are you?" orange haired man asked him, but there was no response.  
"Hello, world to Mr Redfox, please come in." god tried again.  
"THE HELL JUST HAPPENED?!" Iron Dragon Slayer yelled. "DID SHE JUST STABBED ME WITH A FORK?! FORK?!"  
"Shhhh calm down, you are a big moron after all, there're things you don't tell in public you know?" Loke was trying to reason with him, but Gajeel was still in his little world, where he was trying to understand why he had a fork in his leg.

Juvia was knocking in Runemaster's doors. "Please Levy let Juvia in." the door slowly opened, there was a little crying blunette standing in them.

"_Sniff _ What you want goddess?" she asked, here eyes were red.  
"Juvia only wants to talk, everybody knows that that was a misunderstanding." Levy let her in. They sat together on Levy's bed.  
"Yeah I know." Runemaster said much to the Juvia surprise. "So why did you run away?"

"You promise not to tell anyone?" Levy asked "Juvia promises"  
"It's because I actually you know kind of like him..." little blunette blushed, and Death couldn't help but smile. "...but this whole thing is so crazy that I don't even now what to think about it." she started to play nervously with her dress. "I mean not so long ago we're enemies, he tried to kill me, but yet I ended up as a traitor and from that day on we were partners in crime, everything would be better if not for that damned Lyon." Juvia twitched on the sound of that name, she despised that man from the bottom of her heart.

"His like a spirit of vengeance, restless in his task, he won't stop until he gets Gray's head." that gave Juvia an idea, a risky one but it was worth a shot.  
"Listen to Juvia, if you really like Gajeel you should wait patiently, he's indeed very dense, but when the time comes, you'll know if he feel the same about you, but Juvia pleases you don't stab him with the fork again, ok?" Levy laughed.

"Ok I promise, but can I hit him from time to time?" she took a fierce pose.  
"Yes, yes you can he needs that." and when Juvia was about to leave a room Runaster asked

"I'm really sorry for Gr-... I mean Icesmith. It was you all the time on that chair, right?"  
"Yes, but how do you know? Juvia doesn't remember you there." she said confused.  
"I was there only once, after his Divine Punishment... he didn't talk or response to any form of communication, he was just staring on that one chair with sad eyes, I couldn't even move it. You must have been sleeping or something" Juvia felt her knees getting weak.

"Juvia needs to go, it was a good talk Runemaster Levy." she said and rushed to her room. She needed desperately a bed to laid in it. Death wanted to forget everything, the time she first saw him, the hours spent with him in hospital, the kiss she gave him before his execution, his rampage and the fear it caused in her, she wanted to erase that man's very existence, and the only way to did so was through his death. Juvia was lying in bed her face in the pillow, sobbing quietly and cursing at the man, for whom she was able to stop the rain. She remembered all the pathetic teenage-like fantasies that she made up in her head back then about their future. Juvia imagined them with two kids a boy and a girl, the boy would have the blue hair, wings and will be able to use water magic, when the girl was about to resembled her father, with ice limbs, ice-magic and serious attitude, now it was something like a madman's dream. She needed to kill him and sooner meant better. Lyon Vastia was a key player in her plan.

**Ultear is such a slut. I have a really good character development for Levy but I need your reviews to keep going, you know? And also I feel that colossal urge to write smuts what do you think about it?**


	17. Chapter 17 : Bird without wings

**Hello there. Enjoy!  
It's all I can update for now, I know it's not much, I'm sorry.**

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It was still raining, after the breakfast Levy was talking with Loki about his rare books, you could swear that she was sparkling, and he enjoyed her attention. On the other side of the room Gajeel was in the middle of a rather serious conversation with Juvia, she was putting on her black leather armor and he had a concerned face.

"Dammit woman you just can't go there, it's a suicide even for you." he was scolding her, but not too loud he didn't want to alarm Levy or Loke, because he knew where Death was really going to.  
"Gajeel-kun is still too overprotective, did he forgot that Juvia is an actual goddess?" she was halfway done with her armor.  
"Goddess or not, you just can't go there he's insane, we'll find another way." Iron Dragon Slayer was trying to reason with her.  
"Another way? There is no such thing, besides we can really use him."  
"You think that you can outsmart him? Lyon isn't a simply peasant, he's dangerous." Gajeel was getting irritated by his stubborn friend.

"Juvia must go, **he** needs to be killed." her eyes were full of sadness.  
"If you think that killing **him** will resolve all of your problems then go, but don't come back and tell me later that I didn't warn you woman."  
"Thank you, Gajeel-kun." and she left the hut, unfolding her magnificent wings and flew in the direction of the Wild and Gajeel went back to his room.

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It was nighttime in Hades when Levy heard a knocking on the door, she wandered who might it be while walking slowly to it. When she started to open there was a loud "Don't open the door!" coming from Loke mouth, but it was too late, she could already see a well-built blonde man standing there right in front of her, he had a characteristic lightning shaped scar on the right side of his face.

"Hello there Royal Runemaster Levy, long time no see eh?" little blunette was petrified, it was Laxus, the King of Olympus, she didn't know what he was doing there nor how he found them, but one thing was certain, they will die for sure if they won't quickly come up with a plan. Surprisingly there was no roaring thunder, no nothing, god just entered the room and walked straight to Loke, totally ignoring terrified Levy or Gajeel who was charging at him with his Iron Dragon's Slayer Sword, Laxus repelled his attack with just one hand.

"Flashy as always. What do you want form us?" Loke asked sarcastically, you could tell that he wasn't happy about suddenly appearance of his guest.  
"I'll put it simple, I've a plan how to defeat Hades but I'll need your help and I mean all of you." he looked at Gajeel laying on the floor.  
"Each one of you want something from me, I'll grant your wishes in exchange for help." blonde man said seriously.

"Are you some kind of a magical fairy granting wishes?" Loke teased him, Laxus started to be tired of this whole thing, but he remained calm.  
"Runemaster wants to be cleared of the accusations and be able to live again in Olympus. Martyr wants to be free as well..." suddenly Loke interrupted him "But you're forgetting about me, there is nothing that you can give me, my King." he said with disrespect.

"Oh, there is something that you want more than anything in this world." god of thunder was confident.  
"Which is?" Loke asked ironically.  
"Really? You want me to tell it right in front of your new friends?"

"C'mon we both know that there is noth..." Loke was trying to end his sentence but Laxus just threw a lyre to him, orange haired man grabbed it and his eyes immediately became wide, old nightmares and long lost thoughts started to violently invading his mind. "It's impossible..." he mumbled.

"Are you sure? I know from certain source, that she's still there waiting for you." guest said with firm voice.  
"Liar! I've seen her vanishing right in front of my eyes!" host started to lose it.

Levy looked at Loke with a strange look in her eyes, she couldn't comprehend what was happening, why he looked like he saw ghost, what's more he was terrified.

"But do you know where she vanished?" dream god's gaze focused on Laxus, now he was listening.  
"Tell me... Tell me that's not another of his tricks." he practically begged him.  
"It's not." blonde man replied to him

"So I will aid you with my life and all my power, I'll do everything but you need to promise that you'll fulfill your side of the deal." Loke was looking serious.  
"Ok, ok I promise."  
"No, no, no you need to use this." and he handed him a golden dagger. Laxus took it and cut his palm with it, blood started to drop on the carpet.  
"I promise that I'll fulfill your wishes in exchange for your help."

"Now tell me your plan, Laxus." Loke sat in his chair.  
"And where's Death goddess?" he asked curiously.  
"She went to Lyon to convince him to join forces with us."  
"Splendid it's going even better that I could have imagined. We'll go meet them after I finish telling you my plan."

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Juvia was few hundreds meters away from Lyon's campsite, the Vengeance Expedition as they were calling it. Ice mage was fulfilled with twisted sense of justice, he lost his mind after Ur sacrificed herself for Gray's sake, Strategist was a madman now, but still he didn't lost anything from his genius, that was making Juvia scared, that he'll used some kind of a trick in a more unknown purpose. As she was getting closer, she could see a blazing fire lightening the darkness of the night, but slowly extinguishing because of the rain. She landed lightly on her bare feet, the feeling of standing in wet mud was at least unpleasant. Juvia folded her wings and looked around, there was no one in her sight, she entered the largest tent, in which she was before, in hope that Lyon was there, and she was right, he was lying in his chair, apparently he felt asleep while working. Death got closer to him, she was thinking of a way of revealing herself, in the end decided to just poke him in his head. But when Juvia was about to touch him he grabbed her hand, her eyes became wide, because there was no way of him knowing that she was here, she didn't allow him to saw her yet.

"Hello Death I was waiting for you." Lyon said.  
"How? How it is possible that you can see Juvia?" goddess asked shocked, she was getting worried.

"Let me just say that priestesses know a thing or two of revealing your presence to the other people of course their method have taken few years of my life in exchange but as you can see it was worth it." he calmly explained it to her.  
"Juvia came here with a proposition young Strategist" he was still holding her arm.  
"A proposition you say? Of what kind ?" he asked curiously and let her go.

"Juvia heard that you are interested in a certain man's death." she started with confidence in her voice.  
"Maybe I am, maybe I'm not." he said playfully. Juvia looked at him suspiciously something was wrong and she knew it.  
"Are you trying to tell Juvia that you're no more blinded by the thirst to get your brother's head on a silver plate?"  
"Don't get me wrong goddess I'm still on the hunt for that pathetic excuse of an ice mage, but now I want to enjoy your company, did anyone ever told you how beautiful you are?" he asked looking at her with his dark eyes. Juvia blushed slightly, she wasn't accustom of complements like this.

"Thank you, but Juvia is here to discuss much more greater matters." she replied politely.  
"Are you sure you don't want a glass of wine or two?" he was persistent.  
"Juvia is sure, now please listen, we need to find and kill the Icesmith, he became a real demon." she said, but it hurt her.

Lyon turned his gaze to her, there was interest in his eyes.

"We can talk here, let us go outside I know a place that will allow us to talk in private." he said seriously, grabbed his coat and went in the direction of the exit from the tent. Juvia knew that he was planning something fishy, but she needed him, so she decided to came along, but she was super cautious about everything. Two of them silently leave the camp and were going in to the Wild, Death thought that there were getting lost, but apparently Lyon was taking her to some kind of a secret hideout, but why he needed to do something like that she didn't know.

"We are almost there goddess." she could see something that looked like a cave's entrance from that distance, it was too dark to be sure about it, but after a while she was certain about it. Lyon entered first and Juvia followed him, they were in some kind of a natural stone corridor, there were torches lightning up the whole place. At the end of it there was some kind of a wooden doors, it looked like that was their target. Ice mage opened them and let Juvia in first, she was focused, it was an ideal place for a trap. There were in a round room carved into the rock, you could see chains and shackles hanging down the wall, surely it wasn't a place any person wanted to be.

"What is the meaning of this?" Juvia asked immediately.

"There is no point in hiding it anymore, I'm sure that you knew from the start, but yet you went here with me." Lyon smiled to her, and froze the doors that they couldn't be open normally.

"Juvia will defeat you in an in.." but she could felt that something was grabbing her wrists and ankles, her eyes became wide, the shackles were moving on their own.

"Ahead of your question I will say that these are intelligent anti-magic shackles, they were made specially for your kind." he was still so calm, it was frightening her even more. Juvia got pulled up by the chains that the goddess looked now like she was crucified.

"What do you want from Juvia? She told you that she wants to kill the Icesmith." she wasn't in control anymore.

"Oh yes that's a really good thing, but you helped him more than once and if I'm correct it's your fault that he's still alive." he said and continued "so now I'll punish you for that and later on we can discuss our partnership, how about that?"

"Never, you're a madman, there is no way that we can cooperate!" she yelled at him, he said nothing in response, just got closer to her, in the same time the chains lowered her a little, Juvia and Lyon were standing eye to eye. He caressed her cheek, blunette shivered in disgust.

"Oh? Why so nervous, there is nothing you can do, now let me take care of these for you, you won't need them anymore." and he covered his one hand in ice, making and ice-blade and cut her wings right near back. Juvia screamed, the pain was unbelievable, she nearly passed out. Lyon placed the torn feather wings on a table which was standing near her.

"Better. It's such a shame that so noble and beautiful being fall for my so called brother." she looked at him with fear in her eyes, she was scared, the last time that Juvia was so scared was when she was a little girl and the slave hunters had captured her.

"Now let us play together a little." Juvia was struggling, but it was no use, the chains were too strong he was getting closer to her, she tried to move her head away, but she still could his breath on her, it was too much for her. Goddess had some kind of a mental breakdown, she started to cry repeating just one word "No." her eyes were empty, like she was no longer there.

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Erza was standing on her balcony enjoying the dreadful but breathtaking view. There was a river full of human souls trying to uselessly reach the freedom which was represented as getting out of the river, but no one can did it, freedom was just an illusion, she was no better herself, trapped in this castle fooling herself. High priestess was thinking of her earlier conversation with Mira.

"Maybe she was right, maybe there's nothing wrong with me being selfish." Erza said out loud and looked down, she wasn't sure of her own words.  
"Oi, don't talk to yourself unless you're a crazy person." Scarlet jumped up, she looked around and saw Kai sitting standing right beside her on balustrade.  
"What do you want?" she hated him, what's more every time when she looked at him she felt guilty. It was her fault that Gray became this monster.  
"Nothing really, just sightseeing." he smiled to her deviously, he wanted something from her but priestess didn't know what it was, yet.

"If that's all I need to go back to my room, goodbye." she tried to go back, but her arm was caught by his icy tail.

"I hear that you want to release someone from the state of possession, I can tell you how to do it." he said playfully. Erza twitched a little.  
"I don't want to make any deal with you!" and she got inside closing the doors behind her, but somehow Kai was already inside lying on her bed, she was getting scared.

"Look, I'll do it for free, no additional charge." , Erza looked at him suspiciously  
"Why?" she asked.  
"Why what?"  
"Why do you want to give me this kind of information, I'm no fool, there must be something hidden behind it." demon smiled to her.

"Maybe there is, but for now you can just assume that I like spreading chaos. Besides I want to see what you will do with it." he looked at her with his yellow eyes.  
"What do you mean?" she asked confused.

"With Hades off the picture I'll take over this whole place, his army and resources, becoming even a greater threat to your precious city." high priestess was staring at him in shock.

"I want to see what will you do with that knowledge, that's all." there was a brief moment of silence, which was broken by Scarlet's voice "Tell me, tell me how do I release him." a wide smile appeared on demon's face.

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Lillis had problems with sleeping, each night before sleep she was thinking about Gray. Little girl was very close with him, and now there was nothing left, not a even a small reminder of him, well unless she was counting her ice limbs. She really loved them, for her it was like she was closer to her brother.

She liked to recall the memories of him, like that one time when he saved her from the slave hunters or the time when they meet for the first time. She hugged her pillow tightly and finally fell asleep, but before that she said "Good Night, brother anywhere you are now."

Silver was standing outside, you could see a big ice castle behind him, it was probably where Lillis was sleeping right know, there was only ice , there was no sky, just really high frozen ceiling. It was a cursed place, between eighth and ninth gate. He was the last guardian before the Prison, if you would listened closely you could hear the howling and roars coming from behind it. He was certain now that Kai was in possession of his son's body, but he couldn't react now, he needed an opening something that will let him use the element of surprise. Silver was strong, but even he couldn't go toe to toe with that demon. Fortunately he was about to get his chance.

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**Lyon, you bastard! I really like the idea of Kai spreading chaos everywhere.**

To L: I meant like an independent smut one-shots, I have no intentions in putting smut in this story.

**Oh, and I have this two big projects and two even bigger reports, so see you in 2014.**


	18. Chapter 18 : Plan

**I guess it's my**** Christmas present for you? :D Enjoy.**  
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It was early morning, everyone in the camp were after their morning routine, it was time for some breakfast. But you could sense tension in the air, Wendy was sitting on the side, anxious about her prophecy, Natsu and Lucy were sitting in silence, not even exchanging a word with each other. Chelia was looking frantically for Lyon. She didn't know where he was, it was really worrying her, even the guy from the Infiltration and Assassination Squad didn't know a thing, it was unusual for him to leave with no note or something. Suddenly she heard a noise coming from the bushes, as if someone was running through them with all the strength he or she had left. She took a defensive stance in case that it was something or someone hostile, but to her surprise it was Lyon. White haired man's uniform was torn apart, he had scratches and bruised all over his body, he looked exhausted, as if someone beat him up to that state, but yet something in him looked odd for her, but she couldn't identify it.

"Master! Somebody please help me Lyon-sama is hurt!" she yelled, drawing everybody attention to their actual position.  
"Lyon, where the fuck were you?!" Dragneel asked, his eyes were full of hatred.  
"They... They came for me." Strategist said with pain.  
"Who?" Natsu was surprised with his answer.  
"Hades's Troops, they know that we're here we need to go, now." he had a serious face.  
"But how? I thought we hid our presence, camp should be cloaked with some kind of stealth magic." Lucy interrupted, she was sick of that man, but yet, she couldn't help but pity him, he was in really bad shape.

"I don't know how, they captured me and when they were about to bring me to their hideout I manged to break free and rolled of the cliff." he explained them, still to weak to stand on his own, there were handcuffs on his hands.

"You did what?! You are some crazy bastard to risk your own life, just to sabotage enemy plan." Natsu said in disbelief.  
"Let's go Lyon-sama I'll tend your wounds" Chelia said eagerly, there was nothing more important to her, than the health of her master, he was her everything, so they went together to the main tent, she was helping him walk the whole way there.

"Do you believe him" Lucy asked shyly, she told Natsu about her incident with Lyon yesterday, he wasn't happy, but he managed to hold his anger inside, for their expedition's sake.

"I don't know, there is no reason for him to beat himself up, unless it something very important for him, but for now I'll let his story pass through." he said looking in the direction of the tent where actually Lyon was.

Lucy started to play with her hair nervously, it was obvious that she wanted to talk about the incident again, his calm reaction to this earlier was not a good sign, she even wanted for him to scream at her, everything was better that the silence treatment, that he was giving her.

"Natsu listen..." she started her head was down, she was ashamed of herself, but he interrupted her  
"No, I won't talk about that with you again, I never want to hear more about this." he stated bluntly and started to walk away from her, but she couldn't let him, so she grabbed him by his hand.

"Please..." she said with a begging tone, it was always working on him no matter what, but not this time, he just roughly pull his hand away.  
"There's nothing I want to talk about with you Lucy. Now I need to go and examine the path that Lyon came here, if his story is real, there is high possibility, that the Hades's troops are coming here right now, we must be prepared for such possibility." he was so cold, nothing like his normal self.

"Ok, just be safe... " and he vanished in the bushes and trees, leaving sad Lucy behind, she needed someone to talk to Jura, Lyon and Chery weren't an option , so she decided to go and talk with Wendy.

But no more than 10 minutes have passed when there was a loud noise, something like lightning strike, but it was impossible, the sky was clear. In the middle of the camp was standing Laxus and the others form Loke's hut. Chelia rushed out form the tent and was confused, very confused when she saw the traitors standing on the both sides of her King, she was already preparing an attack when he stopped her.

"There in no need to get nervous young assistant, they're on our side now." girl's eyes widened.  
"What do you mean my King? There are traitors that were sentenced to death, wasn't capturing them and killing the Cursed Icesmith objectives of our mission?" Gajeel got a big grin on his face, which made Chelia almost go insane.

"No, they're our allies now and I'll advice you to quickly adapt to this new situation or you'll have problems with me, understood?" Laxus sent her a serious look.  
"Understood." and she gently bowed.  
"Now where is your master, shouldn't he be the one greeting us?" strange, orange haired man asked.  
"Lyon-sama had an accident, he is now in the War Tent, he's resting."

"Was the Death Goddess here?" little blunette asked, she was looking around curiously for some time now, but Chelia just looked at her surprised.  
"Death Goddess? No, she wasn't here." all four of them looked at her with some kind of anxiety.

"What do you mean she wasn't here?" Gajeel rushed to her and grabbed the girl by her clothes, but Shelia wasn't afraid of him, she nearly beat him to death once.

"I'll said it once again. I didn't saw the goddess in here, maybe she changed her mind or something." Loke was clenching his fist, but no one seem to noticed it, he was getting really irritated and angry, there was no way, that Juvia could get lost, she was too determined to get Lyon's help.

"You little..." Gajeel started but stopped when he felt Chelia's palm on his abdomen, she was ready to fight him right there and now, Laxus noticed that the atmosphere was thickening and decided to do something with it.

"Runemaster I think you should go and check on your old friend, Bloodseeker you'll wait outside the tent, me and Loke will get inside and have a nice little chat with our Main Strategist." and the two of them went, followed by his assistant, as they disappeared in the tent, Levy asked

"Don't you want to come with me Gajeel?" she had puppy eyes.  
"Nah, I'm not in that whole girly stuff you'll talk about, have fun shrimp.", and he just sat on a rock, in front of the tent's entrance.  
"Ok, just don't break anything." Levy said sweetly.  
"There's not many thing to break in this hellhole." he said with a bored expression.  
"I know that you can be very creative." she smiled to him and went to search for Lucy.  
"Gihi."

Lucy was sitting curled up with Wendy in the corner of her tent, she was scared, that loud noise could mean only one thing, that the King was here, but she saw a little shadow appearing on their tent. Someone came inside, to her surprise it was her old friend.

"Levy?!" Lucy yelled in disbelief.  
"Lu-chan!" little blunette yelled in response and embraced the blonde in a hug.  
"How?When?Why?' she was mumbling.  
"It's a long story." Levy answered calmly.  
"But Lyon." Aphrodite priestess still couldn't find words.  
"We're here to join forces with his Expedition." blunette explained.  
"I though Laxus is here, what a relief."  
"Actually he's here, but he's quite occupied right now, you've nothing to worry about." she assured her friend.  
"Tell me did you saw Juvia earlier here?" blunette asked curiously.  
"Death Goddess? No I didn't, but is sounds fishy, like that Lyon's story." Lucy replied after a moment of thinking.

"What story? Oh! Hello Wendy!" Levy said to Oracle.  
"He-Hello Runemaster." little girls was still intimidated by the presence of such noble person, she hear thousands of stories about Levy McGarden, the Royal Runemaster.  
"Please just call me Levy." she smiled.  
"Ummm... ok.. Levy." Wendy blushed a little.  
"See that's not hard." and they started to talk about literally everything.

Meanwhile in the War Tent, Laxus and Loke were trying to wake up Lyon, he was kinda unconscious. So the High God just kicked the chair on which he was resting on which resulted in certain ice-mage falling onto the floor and waking up immediately. There was only a loud

"What the fuck?!" Lyon eyes widened the moment he saw Lightning Dragon Slayer, he wasn't familiar of the other person.  
"My sincerest apologies my King, what brings you here" Lyon stood up and bowed, Chelia took a place behind him.  
"I'm here to take over your expedition." he said matter-of-factly, sat in the most comfortable chair in there and relaxed.  
"With all due respect, you can't ju..." but he didn't finish.

"I can and I'll also acquit the so called 'traitors'. They'll be joining our ranks. I hope you don't mind." Lyon clenched his fist, and looked at the orange haired man, who was looking around curiously as if he was looking for something or someone.

"May I know who you are?" he addressed to Loke.  
"It's none of your concern, we're allies that's all you should know." he said with monotonous voice and continued "Tell me Strategist, did you saw a Death goddess lately." Loke's piercing gaze was now focused on the ice-mage, Chelia was listening to the conversation from side, trying to link all the facts.

"Unfortunately no, I heard she's a real beauty, the perfect woman to see before you leave this world." white haired man said dreamy.

"Indeed she is, but what you don't know she's also like a daughter to me..." Loke let this words to sank into Lyon's brain and when ice-mage got it he paled, but he didn't lost his cool.

"So I assume that you're the God of Dream." he said a little scared.  
"Yes, I'm" he got closer to the Strategist and said loud an clearly "Remember that I can make your life a living nightmare, I know your deepest fears... So I'll ask once again. Did the Death was here." but Lyon was standing firmly.  
"No she wasn't." suddenly Laxus joined the conversation, apparently he was bored with all this.

"How it is that my genius Strategist has got beaten like some kind of a peasant. Hmm...?" Lyon start to sweating, Chelia was closely examining her master's expressions.  
"I got kidnapped by Hades's men, my King, they slipped here at the night and captured me while I was sleeping." he explained.

"That do not explain how the hell you are all in bruises and scratches." you could tell that the blonde man was getting irritated.  
"Please let me finish my story. When they were dragging me up hill, I was able to trick them, but unfortunately the only way out was down the cliff, so I jumped and rolled down through the bushes." Laxus was looking suspiciously at him.

"How it come that you didn't used your ice magic?" it started to resemble an interrogation.

"It was the fault of these damn handcuffs, they're disabling magic, a patent straight from Hades's army." Loke got closer to him and just shattered them with his own hands. Afterwards he examined what was left of them. Chelia could tell that Lyon was very nervous at that point.

"He's telling the truth, they're definitely from equipment of Martyr's Army." at that moment girl caught a sign of victorious devilish smile on her master's face, something was wrong. Time stopped for a second there, when Chelia remembered, what was in the direction from which came Lyon. Now it made perfect sense to her, there was a special interrogation room, you could call it prison, with chains capable of seizing a powerful beings, when she added the questions about Death goddess to it she got the answer. Lyon must spoof the whole incident, he probably fell from the cliff on purpose. Girl let out a loud gasp, her master in an instant sent her the death stare. It was beyond her wildest imagination that her master did such a thing.

"What happened Chelia?" Laxus asked concerned, when he saw that girl's face was becoming white as snow.  
"No-Nothing my King, I just need some fresh air, Lyon's-sama disappearance really has stressed me out earlier, I guess I just need some rest, may I go my King?" she asked politely.  
"I allow you to leave" the blonde man said.

When Chelia went out from there, she rushed to her tent, fortunately for her there was no Wendy, Lucy or Levy in there. Apparently they gone somewhere. She lay in her sleeping bed, young girl was still pale but she was also blushing a little. She was admiring her master, sometimes in an inappropriate way for subordinate, but now that he caught the Death herself she couldn't admire him more. Goddess was out from the battle, they will surely defeat the Cursed Icesmith and her master would taste the sweet flavor of revenge. But one thing that Chelia didn't know was that she made a certain Iron Dragon Slayer suspicious about her behavior.

After two hours or so, everybody gathered in the War Tent, they all were there to heard out Laxus's plan, the atmosphere in the there was thick, it was enough to say that lot of people there did not appreciate each other company, Lyon-Natsu-Gajeel triangle was just an example.

"So what are you planing to do Laxus?" Natsu asked boldly, he wasn't even addressing him as King.  
"Shut your yap and listen." Gajeel sent a death glare to Dragneel.  
"You two dickheads, should respect the King" Lyon interrupted.  
"Guys, guys, guys just listen." Loke was trying to calm this whole situation, when they heard sparks jumping all over Laxus body and all went silent.  
"Better." Laxus stated and relaxed a little bit, placing his right hand on a table, there were blueprints of Hades's palace laying there.

"Whoah where did you get those?" Natsu asked shocked.  
"From an old friend of mine. Now listen carefully.." he looked around checking if everybody was listening carefully. "We'll use the element of surprise, Bloodseeker here will take us inside the palace with his Shadow Techniques, unnoticed our party will land in here" and he pointed on the plans  
"What's it there?" Jura asked him, playing with his bear, he was clearly thinking about all the possibilities.  
"It's Hades's vine cellar, nobody will ever suspect us to be there." Laxus explained.

"Ain't no chance, that I'm going there with this guy's techniques!" Natsu yelled, pointing at Gajeel.  
"Gihi I might as well leave you in the Shadow Realm if you want to." Iron Dragon Slayer teased him.

"You want to fight, Dumbseeker?"  
"What did you say, Flamebrain?"

"Gajeel please stop now..." Levy grabbed his arm, she was standing behind him so he needed to look back, and when he did he saw her murderous face, which was meaning that she was dead serious about it. He knew what she was capable of when she was angry, so he just leave Salamander alone.

"Thank you Runemaster." Laxus said.

"Now as far as we know there should be around five hundred men guarding the place, nothing all of us can't handle but there are some... lets call them special opponents, Mr Redfox will give you a close up on them."

"Yes, so you better listen to me you band of-..." he felt Levy's elbow hitting his ribs "band of my precious allies." everybody looked at him with wide eyes and Levy smiled cheerfully, but he continued "There are five opponents who you want to evade, I will tell you about them of all Elfman Strauss, I know that some of you're familiar with this name, his the first general of Martyr's Army, shapeshifter, he's very durable, the longer the fight goes, the more probably is that you'll lose, his endurance is legendary even between soldiers of the Underworld. He's a big, well-built man with white hair, don't think he's not agile or fast, he can change in literally every twisted creature on this world." Gajeel paused for a while to let his words sink in his new comrades minds, he felt nostalgia talking about his old commander.

"Second is Mirajane Strauss, Elfman's sister" Laxus twitched a little bit on the sound of her name.

"She has a long white hair, and is really beautiful, so don't let you guard down because of this. She's also a take over mage, but the can change in actual demons, using their consumed souls. Mira is in the charge of Infiltration Squad, besides demons, she can take the appearances of anyone, including us, so you must stay focused, trust means nothing once we get inside the palace, you understood?" Gajeel asked and everyone nodded in agreement. "Oh and she's like three, four times stronger than her brother, nobody even seen her in full power mode, so if you see her just run, run for your lives."

Lucy was getting scared, such monster were living in Hades's palace, but she didn't know that Gajeel wasn't even halfway done with his guide.

"Third, killer of the goddess Hera, I don't know what's her real name, but I do know that she uses a lost magic called Arc of Time, extremely effective against molding magic" everybody exchanged worried looks, Gajeel looked at Lyon and he just nodded in response.

"I don't know how powerful she can be, but a person who killed a god isn't someone you want to mess with" he stated grimly.  
"And one we're coming yo our main target Hades, I think I don't need to introduce him to you." he was about to continue when

"So after we beat him it's all over?" Natsu smirked.  
"No it'll be just the begging..." Laxus said sadly.  
"What the hell are you talking about we can always count on Erza right? She's already there." Fire Dragon Slayer was getting confused.

"Natsu I think you should sit down or something." Levy started, but was interrupted by him.

"What's going on in here?!" he was getting irritated, blunette looked at Laxus looking for his agreement, he just nodded to her. Runemaster looked at Lyon, Jura, Chelia, Natsu, Lucy and Wendy, afterwards she put her head down, and stated to shake a little.

"Gray is dead..." there were tons of emotions on their faces from shock on Natsu's through confusion on Wendy's to shades of happiness on Chelia's.

"Wha-What do you mean that Gray is dead?" Lucy asked she instinctively grabbed Natsu's hand.  
"Well it's more like he became a full time job demon, with tail, horns and stuff." Gajeel continued. Wendy was still in shock, so Dragneel asked

"How?"  
"He sold his soul to protect a little girl." Wendy's eyes were wide open now, she remembered about the prophecy, but she chose to remain silent, for now.

"Ha ha ha I knew it." there was a victorious smile on Lyon's face.  
"How can you laugh now?! Isn't he your brother?" Lucy looked at him with hatred.  
"Brother is a big word, but never mind. Now we can kill him with no regrets!" ice-mage said cheerfully.

"No we can't..." Levy was still looking down, you could catch a shade of grim expressions coming from her.  
"What do you mean by that?" now Lyon was all confused.

"He's too powerful, even Hades is too afraid to deal with him, he single-handed defeated two dragon slayers." little blunette started to cry.  
"He can't be that strong.", Lyon said in denial.

"Trust me I saw it with my own eyes, I know when opponent is out of my league.", Gajeel stated bitterly.

"And Erza was there too..." Levy continued Natsu's eyes became even wider "she left him to die there." Natsu stood up and rushed to her, grabbing her by her clothes and lifting above the ground.

"Liar, she wouldn't did anything like that!" he yelled, Lucy was trying to calm him, but it was no use.  
"I didn't want to believe it either, but I saw it with my own eyes, Natsu!." Runemaster yelled at him through her tears.

"There's no way, we're always like a younger brothers to her!" he started to shake her, but suddenly a fist connected with his jaw sending him on the ground, Gajeel caught the little blunette in his arms, before she could fall on the ground.

"Deal with it Salamander, as far as we know one of your friends is not anymore on our side and the other one is a goddamn demon from legends, you remember that he is an actual son of Silver, the guardian of ninth gate?!" he yelled at the pink haired man.

"I'm sorry, but he needs to be exterminated." Loke finally spoke, but his voice was cold and emotionless. Wendy dropped to her knees, her hands on ground.

"Please, please don't kill Gray." she begged.  
"I'm really sorry Oracle, but there's no other way." orange haired man could only pity the little girl.  
"There is a way. We need to find that little girl from my prophecy..." she said to them about the prophecy.

"So basically that girl is the key to his sanity?" Gajeel asked confused.  
"Yes, you said that you've seen her." Wendy was persistent.

"Mhm" Levy nodded "But she was taken by a unknown person, we did not now her location and it's way to dangerous to go to Hades's Palace and try to catch Icesmith." Wendy saddened even more, but then Laxus have spoken.

"If we'll able to we'll capture him, how's that sound to you?" her eyes were fulfilled with hope, yet everybody in the tent knew that was an empty promise.

"So when are we moving out?" Natsu asked,.  
"Tomorrow at 10 am, be prepared." god replied.

Loke, Laxus, Jura and Lyon stayed in the War Tent to work out the details of their attack, it must be foolproof, for their sake and the sake of the world.

"So what do you expect from us to do once we get in there, my King." Strategist asked.  
"We'll split in smaller the teams, my propositions are: Gajeel and Levy, You and Chelia, Me and Wendy, Jura and that guy from infiltration squad, Loke will go solo or with Natsu and Lucy." thunder god explained.  
"These are some nice teams." he agreed

"And may I ask what will be our primary objective once we'll get in there?" Jura, the Hermit asked.

"There is only one we need to take down Hades and the Cursed Icesmith, in that specified order, without Hades, the whole place will fall apart in terms of morale and we'll need that to focus on that damn demon."

"Sound appropriate, but why don't we take some sort of support with us?"

"Olympus army is still licking it's wounds, there is no way they'll be able to participate in something so dangerous and risky, not to say I'll never leave my city unprotected." Laxus explained.

"A noble goal indeed, but someone will need to create some kind of diversion to let us scatter efficiently." Jura continued with his doubts.  
"Don't worry Hermit, this will be my job, I can made a nice and loud party only by myself." Laxus smiled.

"So I guess we covered every detail in your flawless plan, my King." Loke was somehow relaxed, so he started to tease the Lighting Dragon Slayer a little bit.  
"And why about you Strategist, have you any suggestions? After all you're the most appropriate person to plan the attack." Lyon was staring on the blueprints for a while.

"I have nothing more too add to your plan, my King. But I need to be sure of one thing, do you really believe in Oracle's prophecy." he focused his piercing gaze on the blonde man.

"She is never wrong." Laxus was sure about that.  
"So you're really planing on capturing my so called brother?" ice-mage was pushing the uncomfortable topic.  
"I've never said that." King replied emotionlessly  
"That's what I wanted to hear." Strategist smiled.  
"Any more questions?" Lightning Dragon Slayer looked around the room one more time.  
"No." everybody said in unison.

"Dismiss." he commanded

Jura and Lyon went back to their tents, but Loke has stayed.

"Aren't you going to grab some shut eye before the fight of which they'll be singing songs about?" Laxus teased him.  
"Don't play with me. What are you going to do if you'll find her there?" Loke asked.  
"I don't know what are you talking about." Lightning Dragon Slayer was playing dumb.  
"C'mon I saw how you twitched when Gajeel said her name." Orange haired man was persistent.

"I'll fight with her to the death." King replied, but his eyes were focused on a point in the far distance.  
"You mean your death or her?" Loke asked suspiciously.

Silence.

"I though so." , he was about to leave when Laxus asked him "And what about you?"  
"I'll find her but this time I'll make sure that she comes back." Loke didn't even turn to him.  
"You know that it wasn't your fault, he tricked you." blonde man said sadly.  
"Weren't we all tricked because of our stupidity and lust? Icesmith is the perfect example how we could have ended if we weren't so lucky."  
"You've a point here, have a nice dreams."  
"You wish nice dream to the God of Dreams? Like seriously what's wrong with you?" Loke finally turned to him.  
"You forgot something." Laxus said with an imperious tone.  
"Eh... What's fucking wrong with you... my King." orange haired man said smiling on the last word.  
"See. Was it so hard?" Laxus smiled to him.  
"Awww fuck you."  
"I wish we could live in other times."  
"Yeah, me too, me too..." and Loke went to his own tent leaving Laxus alone with his thoughts.

Each of the people in the camp had their own fears and doubts.

Lucy snuggled into Natsu's chest, they've found at last their way around the whole Lyon problem, yet her mind and heart were full of fear, she feared death but she was even more worried about Dragneel and his short temper which could bring a big pain onto him. Aphrodite priestess needed to watch over him, maybe she wasn't the strongest, but she was his guardian angle. He brought her even closer and placed a good nigh kiss on her forehead, it was like a magical spell that made her feel safe, as if the next day didn't exist.

Gajeel's hair were in a mess, he was long asleep and the position he was sleeping, would made some people question the laws of physics. Levy couldn't sleep that night, instead she was looking at him as he was sleeping, blunette found that very interesting, in fact she loved it. They were sleeping together for some time, but yet nothing happened between them. Event that she was laying there in nothing more than the underwear. Who could know that such a savage beast on the first look would turn out to be in fact a gentle cat, very stupid and dense but gentle. She has sworn to herself, that next time she'll protect him. Blunette had the power to do so, she knew it, all she needed was a push, impulse to do so. Levy was feeling guilty about Gajeel always taking a heavy beating for her. _I will show everybody that I can fight too, I'm an Artemis champion after all. s_he though, got closer to Gajeel and fell asleep.

In tent where were two small separate beds, young girls couldn't sleep, instead they were having rather serious and interesting conversation.

"But Chelia why do you hate him so much I can understand that you're doing it because Lyon say so, but there is no real reason to hate him." Wendy was arguing with pink haired girl about her friend.  
"He's a demon-spawn, he needs to be exterminated, the world needs to purified form the likes of him." Chelia stood up, she was getting really irritated.  
"But he's still Gray." Wendy was persistent.  
"He's not, he sold his souls and body to a demon, don't you understand Wendy there's nothing that we can do about him." they were touching head-to-head at that point.  
"No, you're wrong, you're just soaked with that Lyon crap." she made serious face.  
"Don't you dare bring Lyon-sama into this!" Chelia yelled, her cheek were red.

"He's crazy don't you see that?"  
"He's a genius."

"Genius of homicide, didn't you hear what he's doing on his interrogations?" Wendy said and Chelia mind drifted away to the day, when their were visiting wounded Gray in the hospital, when her master beat him up.

"I know what he does! I'm always there to support him." Chelia said in response to Wendy's accusations.

"You mean you watch how he tortures poor, innocent people?" Oracle was in shock.  
"He does not torture them and they're not innocent!" young assistant yelled at her, with puffy cheeks.

"But it's wrong!" they kept arguing, none of them wanted to admit to failure.  
"Of course you'll talk with them and give them flowers in exchange for valuable information." Chelia was now rude and sarcastic.  
"I didn't mean..." Wendy was caught off guard.  
"Well guess what Oracle, you can't always be nice."  
"But.." blunette was out of arguments.  
"But what? You saw the damage that your precious Icesmith done to the city, he killed our own men Wendy."  
"I know..."  
"I agree that Lyon-sama can be a little too... overexcited when it comes to interrogation, but his life is hard since he lost his beloved master."  
"Ur..."  
"Yes Ur and it was Icesmith's fault that from that day on I could see how he was immersed in grief, it's still eating him from the inside, that's why he's so dedicated to kill the demon."  
"But I still think Gray can be saved." Wendy said with all her faith.  
"Maybe you're right, but we don't have time to check, it's either him or us." Chelia said bluntly.

Girls went back to their beds.

"Chelia may I ask you about something?" Wendy asked faintly.  
"Hmm was it it Wendy?" she said sleepily.  
"Promise me that when the time will come you'll think with your follow your own sense of justice not Lyon's."  
"I promise." blunette could feel that she was saying the truth.  
"Thank you." and she smiled.  
"Goodnight."

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Meanwhile in the Hades's Palace Erza was taking a cold shower, she needed to clear her head, Titania still had in her mind last conversation with Kai, he was truly the most vile demon in Tartaros. She wasn't sure about anything anymore, there was a train of thoughts in her mind.

Now that Scarlet obtained the knowledge how to release her beloved friend from the possession of Hades, she was torn apart between safety of citizens of Olympus and her ow selfish desire. People always said that she was the blessed child of gods themselves, but now the high priestess was nothing more that a regular human being, who was about to made the most important decision in her life, finally Erza went out form the shower looked in the mirror and said "Heavens forgive me."

Ultear was lying with Kai in his bed., her body was covered in wounds and scratches after having sex with the demon, but it didn't matter for her. She saw a smile forming on Kai's face.

"What is it, my love?" she asked out of curiosity.  
"They're coming." he said happily.  
"Shouldn't we inform Hades of such an event?" goddess asked confused.  
"Nah, let him have his surprise." and the demon closed his eyes.

**Aaaaaaaaaaaand back to writing reports and making projects. Review?**


	19. Chapter 19 : Palace

**A big Thank you goes to BlackFish29, YukiOnnaMonet, L, Kopaka777, TheLittleKittyMeows, Duchess K and one and only blamedorange :D**

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It was cold, so cold, that her whole body was shivering, her eyes were empty as if the whole life was drained from her. Juvia was hanging on magic chains, pinned to the wall, her leather armor was torn apart in some places, she was trying to forget the last hours when she got captured and tortured by Lyon. It was reckless for her to not suspect Strategist of such thing, now she was his prisoner. She, the mighty Death, in chains, somebody could say that there was no way out from there, but it wasn't true.

Juvia drifted away in her own world, she tried to remember what was her goal, obnoxious memories of last few hours were mixing with the older ones. But one word was always present in both _Icesmith_, she mumbled to herself. Wingless goddess remembered her objective, she needed to stop him, for all cost, that will be probably the last thing she'll do in her life, but she won't allow anybody else take the life of her precious Gray-sama, the man that she fell for.

These chains were designed to hold even the gods, but there was a way to break out form them, the absolute power that even gods needed to be aware of. When she was young, Loke banned her from using it, he told her that it was one of the Divine Spells of Sacrifice, but it didn't matter for her anymore.

She touched the shackle with one of her right hand's fingers they started to immediately deteriorate, so when her hand was free she managed to destroy the rest of the shackles with the same technique. Juvia dropped to the ground, but she wasn't getting up and it wasn't because of that she was weak and exhausted, her right hand started to decay, it was the price for using her ultimate magic, the absolute magic, the Magic of Death. It was able to destroy anything, but as a kind of the Divine Spell there was a price for it. For the goddess it was her flesh, the pain accompanying it was beyond comparison. Skin, flesh and even muscles on her right hand were just evaporating, leaving nothing more than pure, white bones. But it won't stop only on the hand, it was progressing further and further, Juvia was screaming and crying because of the pain when the Divine Spell was taking her whole arm in exchange for her freedom, but in the end she though it was worth it. When she was able to get up, she examined her new right arm, it was made from bones, but it was hold together by her magic, after all that was the true form of Death.

She moved unsteadily in the direction of the door, they were frozen, but nothing that her water magic couldn't deal with. "Water Slicer" she said pointing her left hand at the doors, a wave of water, just crushed, the reinforced doors as if they were nothing. When Juvia got outside the cave the light was too bright for her to take, she needed a moment to adapt. After that she started slowly walking through the Wild, bouncing from the tree to tree, her back and right arm was still hurting as hell, but once she'll manage to make it to Hades Main Gate she should be fine. She was repeating some kind of mantra in her head. "Juvia needs to do this, for Gray-sama and for her."

Meanwhile in the camp everybody was gathering for the assault on the Hades's Palace.

Lucy was checking her and Natsu backpacks, she wanted to know if they took everything important for their mission, because every mistake could cost them their precious lives, she was frightened, Aphrodite priestess tried to hide it but there was no use, her hands were shaking too much. When she dropped a bunch of bandages on the ground, she felt a firm hand grabbing her own one. She looked up, only to see Natsu's concerned face.

"Everything will be alright Luce..." he said trying to calm her down, his voice was always making her peaceful.  
"I don't know... What, what if we don't make it...?" she asked him, you could see fear in her eyes.  
"We'll make it" Dragneel smiled to her "There's no Dragneel without Heartfillia, so we'll make it safe and sound." after those words she found a new confidence inside her heart.

"Yes, you're right!" she said more confident this time. "Just promise me, that you won't be reckless" she looked at him with those big eyes of hers, he leaned down and placed a light kiss on her lips.  
"I promise." he grinned afterwards and was back to checking their supplies.

Gajeel and Levy was still in their tent, it was pure chaos in there, they couldn't find anything.

"C'mon shrimp we need to find our copy of blueprints!" he was hurrying her up.  
"I'm searching, and don't call me like that you stupid!" she yelled back at him.  
"Dammit where're my shoes?!" he yelled and started to trash everything in the tent.

"I don't know! Maybe if you'll be more organized and don't throw them in a random place, you'll be able to find them!" she was getting really irritated, and the small space available in there wasn't helping.

"I know where someone is insulting me _**shrimp**_." he put an accent on the last word, but immediately got hit by something that Levy tossed right in his face, it was his right shoe.

"I guess I find one of yours precious shoes, you stupid Gajeel." she said with the murderously serious tone in her voice. Gajeel just gulped in response, he also saw his other shoe right behind her, so he decided to reach for it, but unfortunately for him he scared the little blunette, she jumped and made them both collapse. Runemaster was now laying on the Iron Dragon Slayer's torso, her face was inches from from his, which resulted in Levy blushing violently, but she did't get up, she was just staring into his red, piercing eyes. To make things worse for her, he started to play with her loose hair.

"You know... I like you hair..." he said blushing slightly.  
"Um... thank you." she replied shyly, he moved his hand to her cheek, when suddenly.  
"Levy are you rea- Oh I didn't want to interrupt you two, please carry on lovebirds." Lucy said teasingly, with a devilish smile on her face, apparently she came by to check if they were ready to go. Levy quickly got off from Gajeel,blushing even more now.  
"We were just.." she started mumbling.

"Yeah, yeah I know." Lucy interrupted her, still with an irritating smile on her face, but she continued her speech "You better hurry up, or else Laxus will come for you personally." both of them gulped and when Lucy left, they were both back to packing, yet there was an uncomfortable silence between them, as if they wanted to talk, but didn't have words or courage to do so.

After another twenty minutes everybody were gathering in the center of the camp, in front of War tent. They were waiting for the God of Thunder to show up, Natsu was getting a little impatient so he started to tap with his tail. Lyon was patched up, of course he had still some bruises, but that was nothing serious. Finally Laxus and Loke showed up. Lightning Dragon Slayer looked around at the people gathered in front of him.

"I'm not going to elude you, chances that we can pull this off are minimal..." he started grimly. "We'll be pulverized by the enemy forces, we'll be outnumbered, that's why it's so important to to take down Hades first, do not forget that he's our main target, without him the Martyrs will be weakened. I believe in each of you, I entrusted you with my life, so please don't disappoint me. And the last thing..." he paused for a moment "beware of the demon, don't fight with him, just run and hide." each face represented different emotion from fear through concern to excitement.

"Gajeel if you could.." Loke addressed the Iron Dragon Slayer.  
"Gihi it'd be my pleasure." he said while everybody formed a circle around him.  
"Hang tight, this can sting a little" the whole party was covered in shadows and vanished shortly afterwards, leaving the empty camp, as if no one was ever there.

At that time Juvia was nearly on the end on her life, she wasn't walking anymore, she was crawling, but truth to be told she was near the Hades Main Gate, all that she needed to do was made that last distance, if she'll stop here all her pain will be in vain. Death was tired and exhausted, the pain in her right arm has passed but she could't look at it, there was nothing left than pure, white bones. Juvia looked up and saw the gate, it was mere meters away from her, she gathered all the strength that she had left and took her probably last effort.

_Just a few steps, just a few more steps..._ she was repeating in her head, but right then the pain stroke her again, in it was in her back, where were left the remnants of her wings. Suddenly she started to cough up blood, but she didn't stop instead the goddess kept on moving forward, her body might be in terrible state, but her will was as hard as the finest steel, yet her world became blurry.

_One more step_ she thought and when she touched the gate with her skeleton-hand she lost her consciousness. But the gates has opened and in them was no one other as the Guardian of Hades, Cerberus.

Monstrous three headed dog looked at his Lady with sad eyes, he minimized and started to sniff her and later lick her wounds but there was no response form her, so the hellhound resized himself again this time picking the goddess up with one of his tremendous jaws and placing her safely on his back. After that he ran and he ran so fast that the ground was shaking under his giant mass, you could hear the earth cracking with each of his jumps. He was running in a certain direction, as if that monster knew who could save his Lady.

After a few minutes the colossal dog was on the coast of Styx near some shady looking boat, he started to bay and a tall man in a cape yelled in his direction.

"Dammit you stupid dog what do you want this time?! I said that I don't have time to play with you!" it was Charon, the ferryman of Hades. Hellhound minimized once again, so Juvia's body fell from him delicately on the ground.

"The hell is she doing here?!" man started to rambling again, but he noticed that something was wrong. Cerberus was just laying near her and what is more he was whining it was never a good sign. Charon decided to get closer and examined her.

"Death Goddess are you dra-" he started to make an another grumpy comment, but when he saw in what state she was he stopped immediately, Juvia's wings were ripped off and to his dismay her right hand was nothing more than a bunch of bones. Even such a simple man as him knew what did that mean.

"Stupid dog, don't just lay there and whine!" he yelled at Cerberus "Help me drag her on my boat or else she'll perish." and so the cloaked man and the hellhound picked up wounded and unconscious Juvia and placed her on the deck of the boat. Cerberus again lied in the far corner of it and kept whining while Charon was tending Death wounds with some kind of strange magic.

In the mean time in the Hades's wine cellar a certain group of people have appeared, surrounded by some kind of gray mist. Natsu lightened up the darkness with his flames.

"Khy, khy... everyone ok?" Loke asked, waving with his hand to get rid of the mist.  
"Yeah, pretty much, but I'd rather don't do this kind of transportation in the future if it's possible of course ." Lyon said sarcastically.  
"Whatever do you like... princess." Gajeel hissed to him through his teeth.  
"You two, stop it right now." Laxus scolded them as if they were children.

"All of you now to do, so I'll not repeat it all again, especially here, where the walls have ears. Wait here until I drew their attention. Wendy come with me." he said to the little Oracle.  
"Are you sure you want to go with him?" Lucy asked the little blunette.

"Yes, you all tend to forget that I'm a Dragon Slayer myself." she said in response with a serious face, she was ready to help redeem Gray from his sins.

The two of them walked up the stone stairs, there was a pair of big wooden doors, hopefully someone has left them open, but before they passed through them Laxus grabbed Wendy by her shoulder.

"Just remember to stay close to me Oracle." and small blunette nodded in response. After that Laxus crossed the doorstep in a royal manner. They were in what appeared to be some sort of a kitchen. Blonde man destroyed everything in the sight with his mere presence, every person who was there ran away with screams to the main hall. He followed the runaways with Wendy behind his back, when they entered the the main hall, there was already a squad of Martyrs awaiting for them, thunder god just smiled.

"Look closely Oracle, maybe you'll learn something." he breathed a large amount of air into his lungs "Lightning Dragon's Roar!" he sent all the men there flying in the random directions, some of them even got stuck in the stone walls. Wendy was impressed so say at least, she heard the rumors of Laxus being powerful more than anyone, but that was just ridiculous. They ran further in the depths of the palace, dragging more and more attention. Finally they reached some kind of grand hall with long stairs caved with red carpet around a big pillar.

"That must be the way to the throne room. " Oracle pointed at the stairs.

"This is just too easy, really, they could have tried a little harder." Laxus said relaxed, when suddenly, from the other three entrances to this room, started to come more and more troops, but they looked different from the other ones they encountered earlier. Those men were lightly armored with masks on their mouths and there was one disturbing feature about them, they all hadn't got eyes as if they were born without them. Wendy took her fighting stance when she heard a clapping coming from somewhere. She looked up and saw a beautiful woman with long white hair, wearing a long red backless dress coming down through the stairs. Blunette turned her gaze to Laxus, she was worried about him, his eyes became wide and his stance was unsure, she had no idea why. What is more the strange lady was now on their level.

"You surely haven't changed a bit Laxus, always in the middle of attention." she said smiling, which was a little creepy, the god didn't regained his cool yet.  
"What are these things Mira?" he asked, looking around suspiciously.  
"They're my underlings, now please just stand down and nobody will get hurt." she said with caring tone. Laxus laughed out loud.

"Are you kidding me? There is no way I'm going back I came here for Hades and there is no way I'm returning to Olympus without his head on a silver plate." he looked now like he was back to his distanced self.

"You know that I can't do it..." she said sadly, and a dark light surrounded her, her clothes changed, Mira was now wearing a tight, leather, black uniform and a matching leather hat with a red insignia on both, probably from the Infiltration Squad, there was also a short whip in her left hand.

"You want to defeat me with that? You look good but nothing I can't handle." Laxus said teasingly.

"How naive..." was all she said. Dozen of hands started to reach for the god from his shadow, but he managed to somehow defend from them with his lightning imbued fist.

"What the hell?!" he yelled when a lightning struck through the ceiling finishing off the rest of the hands.

"You were always so easy to distract Laxus, never focusing on things that really matter." Mira said and when he turned around to look at her he saw, that she was holding Wendy by her collar.

"How did you?!" Laxus asked surprised.

"I assume that you've met Mr Redfox, my underlings have a similar... ability, whenever you'll go there will be shadows, so so for old times sake please surrender, now." she said pleadingly. Wendy eyes became wide, she was still scared, but what's more she was trying to find a rational connection between Laxus and that woman.

"There's no way in hell that I'll surrender, I came here for Hades's head and to take you back." Wendy could feel Mira twitching a little, as if his words affected her.

"Finish him off." was all she said to her underling, Laxus could feel that his movements were already restrained by the hands from the shadows, his body vanished under the pile of eyeless beasts.

"Now let us go upstairs. shall we?" Mira asked Wendy, who was still terrified. Oracle just nodded in response, but after a while she found courage to question her.

"Umm... how it comes that you know our King?" little blunette was curious about that.

"Aaaahhh you see we were close friends back in the days, he was my crush, but I was younger than him." she smiled gently to the girl, Wendy felt confused that person didn't spread a bad aura, how it came that she was on Hades's side she didn't have a clue. When they were already on the another floor a bolt of lightning appeared out of nowhere, strangely because it came from the bottom floor.

"I knew it was not enough to kill you, but it was worth a shot." Mira said out loud, when the lightning started take a human form, it was Laxus, his clothes were torn apart he had also a few scratches on his body, at his sight Wendy felt relieved.

"Tch, they weren't even a warm up, show me the good stuff." he was cocky, Mira couldn't help but smile.

"So you want the good stuff?" she looked at little blunette, "Go hide somewhere Oracle, you can be useful in the future, so don't get catch in the cross fire, ok?" Wendy was a little but lost but she listened to the white haired woman, when she was away a dark light again surrounded the said woman, "Satan Soul" but this time her look struck fear in the girl's heart. She looked like a demon with claws, scaly tail,horns and a pair of leather wings.

"So here comes the **_good stuff_** Mr Dreyar." she said and charged at Laxus, clearly catching him off guard. Mira placed her right hand on his chest "Demonic Blast" the ray of black energy shot from her hand sending him flying a few feet. Laxus quickly regained his focus and started counterattacking with his Lightning Dragon's Roar, but his opponent dodged it with ease. Again the take over mage appeared out of nowhere, this time it was on the god's left side, she grabbed his head and smashed it on the ground, Laxus could feel the dark energy gathering in her hand.

"Soul Extinction" a powerful blast came from the palm of her hand destroying nearly the whole floor, Wendy must run from the impact to be safe. Young Oracle couldn't understand how it came that her King was taking a beating, he was the most powerful person in the Olympus. Mira flew to her

"I'm sorry if I scared you, but now that he's out of the picture, we can proceed peacefully." she said to the little blunette and smiled.

"I'm not done yet." white haired woman's eyes became wide, she turned around only to saw Laxus standing on the other side of the massive hole, that she made with her attack. His shirt was torn apart and there were scratches on his chest, but nothing serious, which planted a grain of fear in her heart.

"How you're even alive after my attacks?!" she asked shocked.  
"You see I might be holding back a little bit, but my new plan is to knock you unconscious." he stated matter-of-factly.  
"Tch, arrogant as always and as always you'll come to regret your decision!" she yelled furiously.

"Heh, we'll see about that." he replied teasingly. Mira charged at him once again with her full speed, but this time, when she was halfway through Laxus appeared right in front her and hit with his fist right in her stomach, which caused her to cough up some blood, but he wasn't done yet.

"Dragon Slayer's Secret Art: Roaring Thunder." lightning burst out of hist fist, electrocuting his opponent and sent her back, but she didn't stop at the wall, instead of it she broke right through it and flew right in the another room. Laxus grabbed frightened Wendy and pursued her there.

Mira was laying against the wall, she was still in her Stan Soul form. Thunder God put the Oracle down safely and started to walk up to her.

"Was it worth it Mira? Years of living under Hades's commandment, was it worth it?" he asked rather sadly.  
"You know nothing..." she said, the blonde man started to feel dizzy and his whole world got blurry.  
"Laxus!" Wendy yelled, she was scared of the sudden change of the events. Mira stood up, she was still a little shaky, but her opponent was know on his knees.

"You were always so impulsive, if you'd only stop for a while and thought why I attacked you with all my underlings you'll surely win. But no, you were too confident about your power." she said, while she was getting closer and closer to the King of Olympus.

"You see my dear pets, were imbued with poison, a really strong one and apparently it just kicked in." Mira was now, right in front of Laxus, terrified Wendy didn't know what to do, she was lost.

"I'm really sorry that it didn't work well between us Laxus..." take over mage continued when she placed both of her hands in front of her gathering the energy for the finishing attack, but suddenly Wendy placed herself between them.

"Move aside Oracle, it's not your fight!" Mira yelled at little girl.  
"No! I won't let you kill him!" she had a serious face.  
"Fine, so die with him if that's your wish!" take over mage was about to release the energy, when Laxus spoke.

"Look at yourself..." he looked up to her, but Mirajane's mind drifted away to a vivid memory that she was trying so hard to forget about, the memory of her sister's death, she looked at Wendy but instead of the little blunette she saw an image of Lisanna protecting her younger self from their enraged brother, she became what she was despising from her very heart. Take over mage dismissed her form and dropped to her knees, tears were forming in her eyes.

"I'm sorry Lisanna, looks like in the end I was unable to do whatever it takes to bring you back."

Wendy opened her eyes, she was stunned with the fact that she was still alive, but after a moment of hesitation little Oracle started to tend Laxus's wounds.

"Don't say that..." Thunder God said, he was barely able to move, but he managed somehow to stand up and got closer to Mira, the take over mage was surprised with that.

"Laxus you shouldn't move in your current condition!" Wendy yelled at him, she was scared about her King's safety, but he just reached out his hand to the white haired woman.

"... just help us kick Hades's ass and then we'll try to bring her back, you've my promise if it's still matter for you." she accepted his hand and then hugged him tightly, sniffed and said with a whisper "Thank you."

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

In the other part of palace a petite blunette was scolding her team partner, they were still hearing the sound of thunder, which meant that Laxus was still fighting somewhere..

"We're lost aren't we?" they were running in circles from some time now, she even started to give names to the corpses of fallen Martyrs that were laying around, her favorite was James with his head stuck on the other side of the wall.

"Dammit shrimp this map is not clear, ok?" Gajeel replied irritated, he hated when somebody was sticking nose in his business, especially smarter than him.  
"So why won't you give it to me, you know that I'm better with them than you, you stupid!" she stuck out her tongue in a teasing manner.

"Not gonna happen" he said and decided to take a new direction. After a short walk they were standing in front of big, old wooden doors with golden ornament on them.  
"Gajeel I don't like this lets go somewhere else..." Levy said, she got a bad feeling about that place, like really bad.

"Gihi, no. We're going in." he said and pushed the door. Before their eyes appeared a frightening view, they were in some sort of a cursed chapel.

The ceiling there was high enough to size a middle-sized demon, the black columns supporting it were decorated with golden ornament, same as the doors. They were rows of destroyed and tattered benches, you could say that it was capable of holding at least one thousand human beings. There were recesses in the walls filled with statues representing some kind of abominations or monsters. From the ceiling on the chains were hanging down old and rusted chandeliers.

"Just what is this place?" Gajeel asked and proceed further in the depths of the chapel.  
"It looks like some kind of chapel, but why they need something like this in the first place?" Levy was wandering about that, the amount of unanswered questions was rising.

As they were carefully progressing with their trip through the lost chapel, they could see that the only lightened spot there was the altar. When the both of them got even closer there was also a big cross made from unnaturally two big bones, a skull of a demon was decorating it's center.

Levy noticed a liquid dropping from the altar itself and when she looked closely she recognized that it was blood.

"This blood stinks, like nothing than I've ever smelled before." Iron Dragon Slayer said, he was getting more and more suspicious about this place.  
"Please Gajeel, we really need to get out of here." Levy said with a begging tone.

"Ok, ok lets go shrimp I don't like this place either." and when they were about to go back, the doors shut with a loud crack.

"Ooooh you want to leave so soon, the party is just getting started." a blue haired man with a red tattoo on the right side of his face appeared out of nowhere, he was sitting relaxed on the one of chapel's benches.

"Hades." Gajeel said with disgust, Levy was petrified she wasn't suspecting that from all the possible opponents they will bump on the Lord of Underworld himself.  
"Ah Mister Redfox, how convenient, I see that you meet a really nice lady, Royal Runmaster is such a great pick." he said when he was looking at the frightened blunette.

"It's even better that it's you I'll defeat you and this whole thing will be over." Bloodseeker said with confidence.  
"You'll defeat me? I hardly think so.." he started and in the blink of the eye appeared right in front of Gajeel's face, punching him in the face and sending him flying.

"Gajeel!" Levy yelled worried about him.  
"And now time to take care of you, Runmaster." Hades turned to the petite blunette, she was pale.

Surprisingly he was immobilized by Gajeel appearing right from his shadows, but he managed to go away easily.  
"So I see that you have adapted to your new powers pretty well." Dark Lord said with a doze of sarcasm.

"Well, what I can say? I was always a quick learner." he replied with a mocking smile.  
"We'll see..." Hades said and rises his both hands above his head.

There was a sound that made Levy jump a little but, she looked at the walls, there were creatures crawling right from them, she hid behind Gajeel, who took a defensive stance. Said monsters started to form a large circle around them and Hades, afterwards the rest of them started to climb on the backs of the previous ones, creating some kind of wall, which was going right to the ceiling, It was a loathsome view hundreds of hands and faces in the different states of decay, trying to grab them. Finally Hades has spoken

"Welcome to my Arena of the Fallen!" he announced with a strange hint of joy.  
"Who are they?" Levy asked with a serious face, that man disgusted her.

"These are souls and bodies of the one thousand men that I happened to kill." he explained with a grin on his face and continued after removing his cloak and revealing strange suit of his. "You'll soon join them. Meteor!" Hades yelled and charged at them with extreme speed, but was blocked by Gajeel.

"We aren't dying in here, you heard me you freak?!" Bloodseeker yelled in response, as they started to exchange blows. But dark haired man knew, he needed to pull of all his best moves, so he decided to start up with his Iron Dragon's Scales to boost his defense a little bit.

"Tch, iron skill won't protect you" Hades said, and he punched Gajeel in his abdomen, there was no effect but then "Heavenly Blast!" and the iron skin on his abdomen started to fell of under the pressure of Dark Lord magic and the Dragon Slayer needed to back off. His opponent flew up and starting to make magic circles in the air, when he was done he yelled "Grand Chariot" and the thousand of misses resembling the power of a meteor dropped on him, so Gajeel was forced to use his Shadow Mode to evade them. After the attack Hades Landed on the floor, he was scanning the surroundings for his opponent.

"Come on, get out wherever you're Bloodseeker, I don't have time to play hide and seek with you." he said irritate and right then Gajeel emerged from his shadow and started to suffocate him from behind.

"You better tell you prayers if you have any." but Hades used his Meteor spell and started to tear up the whole floor with Gajeel on his back, so the dragon slayer was forced to let go of him, when they both finally stood up Hades has spoken.

"You fought well, but this is end." he crossed his arms above his head and a dark ball, of massive gravity energy started to form, it was like a pocket black hole. In response Gajeel clapped his hands together above his head and started to gather energy, a colossal sword started to shape above his head.

"Dragon Slayer's Secret Art: Karma Demon: Iron God Sword!"  
"Altairis!"

When their attacks collided the ground have shaken, but the wall of the cursed creatures stood unaffected. When the dust fell down, only one man stood and sadly it was Hades.

"You've lost." he said to Gajeel who was laying on the ground. Dark Lord started to break Dragon Slayer's hand with his foot, tortured man was screaming in pain.  
"Stop it!" Levy yelled, this whole time she was just like air for those two men.

"Oh... or what will you do? You can't do shit Runemaster, accept it. Now I'm going to take care of you friend here, so shut up and wait for your turn." he said to her.

Little blunette felt useless, it was the story of her life, someone always was protecting her from the danger. She cut the palm of her left hand with a knife and started to draw runes on her own body. When Hades turned to her his eyes widened, but it was to late for him to do anything.

"Runeslave." she said, bloody runes on her body were glowing, Hades was somehow terrified by the look in front of him, Gajeel didn't understand what was happening around him.

"You're crazy!" Hades pointed at her, he had this mad expression of a person who is about to die no matter what. Levy said nothing, the petite blunette just appeared right in front of him, she kicked him with such great force that he busted through the Arena, which immediately disappeared afterwards.

Hades needed to buy himself some time, so he was tossing every bit of his magic in her direction, but it was no use, she was unaffected by anything. Gajeel was shocked, he was wandering why all that time she was hiding such a great power. Hades was laying in a pile of rubble, coughing up blood.

"Runeslave, the Divine Spell allowing to obtain an immortal body and infinitive power in exchange for user's life. _Cough cough _To think that you'd actually use it... I guess that was my fatal mistake..." Hades said amused, and then passed out. Levy put on him some powerful binding runes, preventing even him from moving and walked up to Gajeel. He was pale and was grinding his teeth, when she knelt near him and started to tend his wounds, for a while no one said a word.

"How much time?" he asked, not even looking at her.  
"Not too much." she started crying. "_sniff _I'm just glad that I could save you." and she smiled.

Both of them stood up, they were standing in front of each other, Levy head was down. He placed his right hand on her jaw and pulled her face up, placing a kiss on her lips, she cried even more but none of them broke the kiss. Her body started to disappear, changing in some kind of golden dust.

"I'm sorry..." was all she said before she disappeared completely, the only evidence of her presence was an orange bandana in Gajeel's right hand.

Iron Dragon Slayer turned around and started to walk in the direction where Hades was lying, when he was near him, he changed his left hand into a sword.

"Die you bastard." Bloodseeker was about to deal him a lethal wound, but his sword was parried. He jumped back and saw a scarlet haired woman in a heart kreutz armor, she was protecting Hades's body.

"I know you..." Bloodseeker was looking curiously at the armored woman.  
"You're that woman that left the Cursed Icesmith to bleed to death!" he yelled pointing at her with his finger.  
"What you want?!" he was very angry.

"I don't know you, yet I must request that you left Hades unharmed." woman commanded him.

"Are you nuts? We need to kill him, I heard from Salamander that you might be on our side but it seems that you are nothing more than another traitor." Gajeel said with accusing tone.

"You're the one that don't understands! He can be rescued, I know a way to exorcise Hades's spirit form this body!" she yelled at him.

"Yeah and who told you how to do so?" Iron dragon slayer asked suspiciously, he was getting tired of this woman. Erza couldn't say how she get in possession that knowledge, so she remained silent.

"I though so, now prepare for the battle, the only way you gonna take him is over my dead body." he took a fighting stance.

"It's a shame, but let it be... Heaven's Wheel Armor!" plated armor was covering her chest, with a large metal flower over it, and she was wearing a large billowing skirt that had metal plating in the upper area. Her stomach and neck were uncovered, and she had large metal wings that appeared to be made of individual blades, as well as a wing-like headpiece. She charged right at Gajeel, but he managed to dodge it and immediately counterattacked with his Iron Dragon's Club, but it was parried by Erza. It didn't look like it'd be an easy fight. Bloodeseekr used his Iron Dragon's Sword and crossed it with Scarlet's dual swords, when she started to push him harder, the spikes on his blade started to moving, creating some kind of a chainsaw, which made Titania's swords crush, she jumped back and reequipped new ones.

"I must admit you've some skills, mister...?" she asked out of curiosity.  
"Redfox, Gajeel Redfox, better remember this name because you're taking it to your grave." he was dead serious.

Erza flew up right under the chapel ceiling, she was standing on one of the chandeliers, dozens of swords started appearing around her, she pointed at her opponent with one of her weapons.

"Blumenblatt." all blades, followed by her, rushed on Gajeel, he smiled, but it was to late for Scarlet to stop her attack. Bloodseeker vanished into the shadows, and when she was close to the ground he grabbed her leg and smashed her whole body on the ground, he remained in the shadows.

"Tch, you're hiding in the shadows like a coward." she was looking around, trying not to loose her focus.  
"In the end there are only losers and winners." a voice from nowhere answered her. Titania reequiped her armor once again

"Purgatory Armor." it was a black armor, covered in spikes. Erza's hair became styled in very prominent spikes pointing outwards in every direction, with her right eye being covered by it and a devilish shadow obscuring the upper part of her face.

"There is and old saying that you should fight fire with fire." she take a single swing with her new colossal mace, destroying the rest of the benches in the chapel just with the pure air pressure coming from that swing "None had seen the armor and lived to tell the tale. "

Gajeel jumped out from the wall behind Erza's back, he was still in his Shadow Mode

"Iron Shadow Dragon's Roar!" he landed his attack on a pint blank distance, but surprisingly Scarlet blocked it with her gigantic mace and counterattacked with a powerful swing, destroying nearly whole wall in the process, forcing Gajeel to retreat back into the shadows. Strangely she didn't stop instead she started to destroy nearly everything there, which forced the dragon slayer do dodge, even that he was in the Shadow Realm.

"I'll just hit every single thing and eventually I'll get you too." redhead stated calmly. Gajeel was in a bad position now he needed to came up with something and it better be fast.

He once more tried to surprise Erza, this time it was from the ceiling, he changed one of his hand's into sharp blade and just dropped at her, praying to gods that she was too distracted with destroying the surroundings, but unfortunately for him she knew where he was. When the dragon slayer was about one meter above her, she caught him with her mace, crashing few of his ribs, and sent him flying in the same part of chapel where Hades was laying.

"I guess you've bested me, now kill me I don't have any reasons to live anymore."

"I don't have any intention to do so." and she ignored his request, instead the dispelled her current armor and was back to her standard heart kreuz type. Erza leaned over Dark Lord's body and placed her hand right in the center of his chest.

"The one that listen,  
the one that whisper,  
the one that purify,  
please release this body from it duties  
banish the soul dwelling inside  
let this man be free again."

Gajeel was observing the whole ritual from the side, he saw a dark spirit lifting from the body.

Suddenly Hades woke up, dramatically gasping for air, the runes that where restraining him were gone.

"Where am I... Erza?" he asked confused, woman burst in tears, hugging the man in front of her.

"Jellal you're back! Finally you're free." said man pushed her off, but she was to happy to notice his rejection, he was shaking her back and forth.

"No,no,no,no do you know what have you done woman?! I wasn't a prisoner, I voluntarily sealed him in my body, so he couldn't get back to his original one!" he yelled at her, but she seemed like she was in her own happy world, still crying from happiness.

"Jellal you're back..." Titania was whispering those words, like some kind of magical spell.

Gajeel eyes became wide, that was bad news, a very bad news for all of them trapped in this cursed palace.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Natsu and Lucy were going through a dark corridor, it was very slippery in there, so Aphrodite priestess was practically hanging on him in case she will slip. They were walking down the stairs lower and lower, their target was the Hades's twisted menagerie. They'll find there an opponent for sure, it was no revelation since Natsu had some unfinished business with Martyr's Army General Elfman Strauss. Lucy saw something like a gate made from green, rusted iron bars, the most strange thing was that it opened with a loud,scary, cracking noise.

What they saw was beyond their biggest nightmares, it was a circular room with cages build inside the walls, they were the most dangerous monsters from the whole continent such as chimera a monstrous fire-breathing creature composed of the parts of three animals — a lion, a snake and a goat. Usually depicted as a lion, with the head of a goat arising from its back, and a tail that ended in a snake's head.

In the next cage were Stymphalian birds a man-eating birds with beaks of bronze and sharp metallic feathers they could launch at their victims , in another bigger one was even a Lernaean Hydra, it was an ancient serpent-like water monster, with reptilian traits (as its name evinces), that possessed many heads and for each head cut off it grew two more — and poisonous breath and blood so virulent even its tracks were deadly.

But what attracted Natsu's attention was Echinfa, she was a beautiful half woman half snake, known as the "Mother of All Monsters" because many of the more famous monsters in Olympus myths were mothered by her.

There were also other monsters as Harpies, Gorgons, Nemean lion or even a Minotaur trapped inside the cages, it was really a frightening view for a normal person. In the center of the room was a high pedestal with a throne, there was a big, white haired man sitting on it, when he saw them he stood up and bowed.

"Welcome to my magnificent menagerie, how this man can help you?"  
"I'm came here to take you down, you freak!" Natsy yelled pointing at General of Maryr's Army.  
"Is that what you want? So let us fight till one of us fall, like a man!" Elfman jumped off his pedestal, he was really big, bigger than Natsu has remembered, which filled his head with suspicions.

Lucy took the defensive stance, she was a high priestess of Aphrodite, from the child she had strong connection to the spirits, especially the ones representing twelve sing of zodiacs, some of the people called them the golden spirits, their power was quite respectable, but she didn't wanted to be catch in Natsu's fight, he was known for going quite ballistic in his fights, destroying everything around.

"Beast Soul: Weretiger." General said and transformed in some kind of anthropomorphous cat

"Let's see if you're manly enough to keep up with my speed." and he charged at the Fire Dragon Slayer with great speed. But Natsu somehow managed to block his punch with both of his hands, unfortunately that created an opening for Elfman, who landed a direct hit on him with his other hand, making his opponent lost a focus for a second there, and continued to punch him. When Drageel recovered, he covered his whole body with flames, making it hard for the General to attack.

Natsu spotted his chance there and charged at his opponent with Fire Dragon's Wing Attack, he sent Efman flying across the room but he wasn't done yet, he jumped from the floor, catching up with Elfman, he sent him back to the ground with his Fire Dragon's Iron Fist. General didn't even know what was going on there, he was pulverized with Dragneel strength, he tried to got up but it was useless "Dragon Slayer's Secret Art, Crimson Lotus: Fire Dragon's Fist!" Natsu yelled and dropped on him from the above, constantly hitting him with his fire embodied fists, each of them was resulting in a minor explosion. Elfman's take over form was dispersed. Lucy walked up to him to found out if Natsu was okay, but he didn't have any wounds besides a few scratches, he started to tap the floor with his red tail.

"Tch, he wasn't tough, guess that iron bastard has feed us some exaggerated information about him."  
"Maybe or maybe he's just playing dead." Lucy was staring suspiciously at their opponent, lying in a quite big crater.  
"I'll go and check it," Natsu slid inside the crater, where the general's body has been laying and put a foot on his chest. "Hey you, do you hear me?"

Nothing.

"If you're not dead I want you to know that you're an excuse of a man, you know? Now I'm going to look for your sister, I bet she's also weak." and he was about to leave the hole, but something grabbed his tail, so he turned around and saw a murderous aura surrounding the General.

Elfman was having right now a flashbacks, from his rampage at Olympus, Lisanna's funeral he couldn't allow that to happen again, he could't lost his older sister too.

"Lucy get out, now!" Natsu yelled after that there was a tremendous explosion, which threw the Aphrodite priestess aside. He blonde's vision was blurred for a while, but it got cleared. She saw a giant monster holding Natsu in his hand and smashing on the wall, Dragneel once again set himself on fire.

"It won't work, I won't let you out of my grasp even if you'll burn my hand." monster said, dragon slayer was getting crushed in the monster's hand. Lucy was terrified, she was standing near one of the cages trying to came up with some sort of a plan, but nothing was appearing in her mind, but she heard a voice

"Realeassssssssse ussssssss." Echinfa was saying through the bars, priestess looked at her with fear in her eyes.  
"Releassssssse usssss and we'll help you defeat him." half snake half woman reached her hand to the blonde.

"I don't trust monsters like you! Get away from me!" she yelled frantically.  
"You have no choice or do you want your friend to die?" she was restless.

Natsu used his Crimson Lotus: Exploding Flame Blade, it burned nearly the whole Elfman's hand and half of his arm, but the grip wasn't lightening, it even tightened, he could feel his ribs cracking, he could hear also the sound of the opening cages and suddenly the pressure disappeared and he fell on the ground.

"Gate of Capricorn: Open" and a Capricorn in the golden armor appeared near Lucy.  
"Whoa, quite a situation we have here." he said.  
"Help me pick up Natsu! We're leaving, now!" she yelled to her guardian spirit.

"Yes!" he grabbed the Dragneel and they both rushed out of the cursed menagerie, leaving an enraged Elfman fighting with his previous preys, he was getting overwhelmed by them, but the result of this battle was unknown, since Lucy, Capricorn and Natsu disappeared in the corridor that they earlier came in.

"I was reckless..." Natsu managed to say, blood dropping from his mouth.  
"Shhhh, don't speak, you need to rest." she said to him gently.  
"You're indeed my guardian angel..." and he lost consciousness, but there was a smile on his face.

Lucy looked at her right hand, there was a snake tattoo , she remembered the word of Echinfa _You can usssssse thissss, but you need be aware of the consssssequencessss_. and they kept on running, looking for a safe spot to tend Natsu's wounds.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Loke was running through the Hades's Prison, the whole place was shaking, surely some great fights were taking place somewhere above. He was defeating most of the guards there with ease, there was no need for him to use magic at all, he was a god after all. There were rows of cells in there, thousand of them, maybe more and from what it was looking none of them was empty. Inside each cell was a dead decayed body or a tormented, mindless reminiscent of a human, it was sad to look at.

Finally he spotted a large, reinforced metal doors with a symbol of a tree on them, he got closer to them and put it to the doors.

"Lend me your strength Regulus." the ring started to glow and the doors blew up, leaving a hole to him to pass through it. He was in some kind of a cave, the dim green light was coming from the tree growing in the center a little island, surrounded by the water. There was a pink haired woman in the white toga sitting under it. She raised her head and let out a loud gasp.

"Loke is that you, is that really you?" she asked.  
"Yes it's me", he was about to enter the zone of the green light, when the woman yelled  
"Don't come closer!" and he stopped right in his tracks.  
"Why? What's wrong?" Loke asked.

"Look around" she said sadly, when he did so he could see dozens of harpies sitting on the stone shelves. He was wandering why she was guarded so heavily, she replied to his thoughts.

"After your first attempt to safe me, Hades trapped me in here, these harpies are guarding me day and night, they don't sleep or get tired. Nobody can get in or out, a perfect trap." her head was down, Loki clenched his fist.

"I'm not losing you again, there must be a way..." he looked curiously at the glowing tree and a crazy idea popped right into his head.

"Aries, please move aside from that tree." she did as he said, Loke's hands started to glow with a bright light, while he was moving them in a circular motion suddenly a large blast of light came and destroyed the tree. Harpies were alarmed, but they couldn't see anything. God slowly walked to the pink haired woman, take her hand and carefully went back with her, trying to avoid making any unnecessary noises, when they were already on the other side of metal doors, she hugged him tightly and started to cry.

"He told me that you were dead..." their reunion was interrupted by the whole squad of Hades's troops coming from everywhere.

"Shh... now let me show you something." he made a waving motion with his hand and a golden mist appeared, making their enemies fell into deep slumber. But there was something he didn't expect to happen, Aries pushed him away, Loke eyes widened and when he looked at her he could see fear in her own ones.

"Wh-What did you do?" she was scared.  
"I put them to sleep, I still remember how you hate violence." he tried to grab her hand, but she take it away from him, something wasn't right.  
"How did you managed to obtain such power." she asked, her was voice somehow sad.

But only silence answered her, Aries's eyes became wide, she placed a hand on her mouth for a moment,

"You killed him?!" she used an accusing tone, he looked away from her and answered.  
"Yes...", Loke turned his gaze back to her "and I'll do it even a third time if I'll need to!"

"What do you mean third time? You killed two of the gods?!" she moved even further, so her back was now against the wall.

"Yes, but I passed one of my powers on a girl." he was trying everything to justify himself.  
"You force a child to live with a such burden?! Who was it?!" Aries was no longer scared, she was furious.  
"Thanatos."

"Why, why did you cursed a child with such obnoxious power. You're not the man that I once loved, he never scared me like you do now." Loke dropped to his knees, looking at Aries.

"But I only wanted to bring you back..." when he saved the love of his life, he lost her again.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Lyon and Chelia were slowly walking through the wide corridors of the palace, they were surrounded by Lyon's ice-creations, which were destroying every resistance, there was possibly nothing that could threaten those two.

"Master Lyon, where are we heading to?" she asked curiously, walking behind him, she would never dare to walk on his side.

"According to these blueprints we're heading to to throne room." he said calmly, besides the fact that walls were painted with his opponents blood.  
"Umm.. isn't it a little reckless to head alone for Hades?" girl asked shyly.

"Maybe it is." he turned to her, grabbed her hand and said "But there is nothing that the two of us can't do." and smiled, she blushed violently, it was like a dream to her.  
"Y-Yes!" Chelia responded energetically. Suddenly a woman walked from around the corner.

She had a scary smile on her face, the one that makes you stop breathing for a while, pink haired assistant looked at her master. He was petrified, his eyes wide, his hands were shaking.

"Ur?" was all he said, woman just laughed in response.  
"It seems that you're as pathetic as the Icesmith." Lyon's creations evaporated in an instant, Chelia took a defensive stance, she didn't like it at all.

Ice-mage was still stunned by the view in front of him, he was speechless.

"You forgot how to talk mister Main Strategist?" his mind was working at full capacity, trying to find reasonable explanation for all of this, but he has found none.  
"Ur never said a word about her daughter."

"I was her dirty little secret, who wanted to talk about abandoned child, that was a Deicider.", Chelia eyes became wide, she was a God Slayer, but the name of Deiciders was nearly mythical, the only two she knew were the King and that Loke guy.

"You're lying! There's no way that Ur would allow her child to do such thing, she despised the Deiciders, even the King himself was always low in her eyes!" Lyon started to make more and more ice-monsters.

"Useless!" she make a move with her hand and all the ice evaporated , that was bad for him, really bad.

"Tch, looks like I will rely on you in this fight, keep her busy for a while Chelia." he commanded his assistant.

"Yes!" she said, "We'll see how the Deicider will stand against a God Slayer." pink haired girl said with a murderous look on her face.

"Ooooh so you're a God Slayer, I might have a little fun with you in that case." goddess smiled deviously and created some kind of a stone orb.

"You plan on fight with that?" Chelia asked rather amused, but then the multiple orbs started to appear all around the goddess.

"How about now?" pink haired girl focused and charged at her, dodging all the projectiles.  
"Sky God's Dance" she sent her opponent flying, suddenly an ice-dragon appeared above her.

"Too slow!" Ultear yelled pointing at him and he disappeared, but another one came from the bottom freezing her the ceiling. "Good job Chelia, we can defeat her." Lyon said to his assistant.

"Even being in a clearly disadvantage, you managed to use you ice-magic against me, rumors about you were true, Main Strategist." she said, when the ice holding her evaporated in an instant. But the duo down there wasn't done,

"Now Chelia!" Lyon yelled and the little girl released a spiraling black current from her hand.  
"Sky God's Boreas!" and the black wind, crushed Ultear back into the ceiling, holding her there for a while.

"You little shits!" she was furious now, a mad god was never a good sign. "Flash Forward!" the stone orbs laying on the ground started to glow and were aiming at Chelia, Lyon managed to freeze some of them, but the rest was enough to leave bruises all over girl's body.

"Shit!" Lyon cursed he alone wasn't enough to defeat the goddess, not without killing himself in the process, then something came up in his mind, he moved quickly to his assistant.

"Chelia do you remember the tactic we discussed earlier, the one for the really bad situation?" she nodded, but tears started to form in her eyes  
"It's time to use it, but it'll only work if your will be unshaken." little girl stood up and stepped back.

"Ooo so you're really planning on dying today, how convenient." Lyon was w able to doge some of her projectiles, he froze the rest with his ice creations getting in their way, sadly they didn't last long, because Ultear's magic was a such effective counter to his molding type of magic. Finally he was able to get in the range of the hand to hand combat, the true battle has started.

Goddess summoned a short sword, it was looking like a regular one but Lyon had a feeling that it wasn't just a normal blade, it would be too simple. Lyon was trying to fight with her with his own ice-make sword but as soon as their blades collided his sword evaporated , he managed to roll and grabbed a one belonging to the dead Martyr.

"You can't win with me!" their swords clashed once more and this time Lyon's sword abruptly rusted and fell apart. _Shit_ he thought. Ultear pierced right through his abdomen with her attack.  
"Ha, ha, ha you die now you pathetic ice-mage!" but when she tried to pull out her sword Strategist grabbed her arm with his both hands, blood was dripping from his mouth.  
"Let go of me!" she yelled frantically and tired to kick him off.

"Hehe, you have lost." Ultear turned her head to the right side, Chelia was standing there preparing an attack, there was a black wind gathering around her hands, which moment later turned into a massive amount of black feathers."God Slayer's Secret Art: Heavenly Gathering of Clouds!"

Lyon jumped back in the last moment and the black feathers swallowed just Ultear, sending her at least through the four rooms. Strategist smiled to his assistant and fell on the ground.  
"Master Lyon!" pink haired girl rushed to him and started to heal him with her magic, slowly but steadily the wound in his stomach started to close.

"Heh I knew it that you'll be able to do it." she started crying, but a sinister shadow appeared where the hole was.

"You little peasants, to think you'll be able to beat me to this state." pink haired girl's eyes became wide, she turned around and saw Ultear, her body was covered in bruises, scratches and mainly minor wounds, but there was a rather large bleeding coming from her left arm, probably a bad breaking. Chelia didn't know what to do, she was out of the magical energy, she could eat the air to replenish it, but there was no time to do so, mad and crazy goddess was coming closer and closer.

Suddenly the whole place started to shake, you could hear a loud noises, as if something colossally big was coming their way, it was ridiculous, but the wall fell apart, a monstrous three headed dog went right through it, there was a blunnete covered in bandages sitting on his back, her eyes were fierce.

"Get her." she commanded to the dog, he attacked Ultear with his massive paw, pressing her to the floor and crushing her legs in the process. Lyon was terrified it was the Death Goddess, he didn't know what to do.

"Wha-What are you doing here. How did you get out?!" he panicked, she walked up to him only to show him her skeleton arm, she grabbed him and pushed against the wall.  
"Now... what Juvia should do with you? Cerberus are you hungry?" the massive dog, who was still watching over Ultear with one of his head and barked happily with another.  
"Please, goddess I beg you, don't do it." Chelia was crying, begging Juvia on all her four with her head down.  
"Tell me. Tell me why Juvia should spare this parasite, this excuse of a human being!" she was furious, that man tortured her, there was no reason for her to let him live.

"He's all that I have got." girl continued, but Juvia was already dragging the Strategist's body in the direction of the hellhound. Chelia stood up and tried to stop her, when their were hallway through she said.

"He nearly died, sacrificing his life for me." Juvia stopped and looked for a a moment at the girl with a piercing gaze, she dropped the Lyon and climbed on Cerberus's back.  
"So there's a little bit of human inside of you after all, you better look out Sky God Slayer. " she said to Chelia, she only nodded in response, there were tears of happiness.

"Go Cerberus, search for the Icesmith." hellhoud barked happily and go through the corridor, devastating everything in his way.  
"Why did you do that?" Lyon asked shocked, not being unable to understand.

"_sniff _ Because Master is the only good thing that happened in my life, even if he doesn't always appreciate me, he was the one that took care of me when everybody turned their backs at me." she said, while she was putting and immobilization spell on unconscious Ultear.

Lyon just lied there thinking over his whole life and the moment when he took Chelia under his wings, when everybody left her, because of her unstable power when she was younger.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Kai got up from his bed and put on some pants.

"Ugh, I guess it's about time I take care of the business." and he disappeared.

Lucy dismissed Capricorn a while ago, Natsu was now conscious, he was able to stand, but in no shape to fight, they needed to hide there for a bit longer.

"Heh I guess we made it again." he joked, but she hit him in his head.  
"You stupid moron, you could die in there, what was you thinking?!" she was yelling at him.  
"I know, I'm sorry, I'm sorry." he was apologizing her.

"You bet-" she stopped, there was a horrible sound coming from out of the room, like someone was dragging claws on the wall. Both of them froze in the place, Natsu was looking at the doors to the room, when suddenly someone's hand grabbed his face and placed some kind of ice muzzle on his face, preventing him from breathing fire.

"You're coming with me." Kai said and then grabbed them both by their clothes and disappeared, leaving an empty room.

Lucy looked around there were in the throne room, it was a large room with a big skeletal throne placed in the center, but what frightened her was that everybody from their assault party was there frozen to the walls, Levy was missing, she was even more shocked when she saw Hades frozen as well.

"So if you're all here we can begin with the spectacle!" Kai said happily and sat on the throne.

Juvia was riding on her devoted hellhoud, she could see the throne room from distance. Cerberus crashed once again through the wall as if it was nothing.

"Ah my final guest has finally arrived." Kai said as if he was expecting her. Juvia looked around and saw that everybody was somehow frozen to the walls, she recognized most of them.

Goddess jumped of the colossal dog and started to walk the red carped leading to the throne.

"Juvia will put an end to this, right now." she said confidently.  
"I don't think so." he simply stated, stood up and slowly marched in her direction.

_Juvia can do it, Juvia can do it, he's not Gray-sama anymore._ She was repeating in her head when the worst possible thing happened. Kai's ice tail started to dissolve, his gray scales were dropping off as well. Juvia stood still with wide eyes, except for his yellow eyes he was again looking like her Gray-sama. He kept on walking with a sincere smile on his face. She started to lost all her resolve to kill him, when he was right in front of her, he picked up her bone hand and placed at his chest in the place where heart was.

"I know you can't kill me, you still love the man that is inside." Juvia's whole body started to shake, a magic circle appeared under the palm of her decayed hand. _Juvia can do it._ To make things worst he placed one of his ice-hands on her cheek, she looked up at him he still had those scary yellow eyes, but to her surprise they started to became dark blue again.

"Kill me..." he said with a begging tone, Juvia was lost she didn't know what was real anymore, she dropped to her knees, placed hands on her head, and started crying.

"Juvia... Juvia can't." Kai smiled deviously he was about to attack her with his claws, but then there was a big explosion where he stood, pushing Juvia far away. Everybody eyes were set on a man standing there he was wearing a white cape and a breastplate with **_Absolute Zero_ **engraved on it.

There was also a little girl with one ice arm an leg hanging onto his shoulder.

"Looks I'm a little late to the party."  
"Silver!" Kai hissed his ice tail and gray scales as well as yellow eyes were back.  
"Oh that's not an appropriate way to address your father." he said teasingly.  
"Shut up! You 're going down today, I was waiting for this way too long, trapped inside your son's body!" demon was angry, really angry.

"Umm... dad what happened to Gray?" Lillis asked shyly.  
"You see, your brother is... sick, now go and hide somewhere." she nodded in response.

Ice Demon Slayer and Ice Demon started the battle, the temperature in there instantly dropped about 40 degrees.

Kai placed his hands on the floor "Ice Age" colossal spikes of ice started to appear out of nowhere, there where coming from everywhere, ground, ceiling and walls, aiming for Silver. But he managed to doge them and he counterattacked.

"Ice Demon's Growl" a massive hurricane of icy wind with ice spiked stroke his opponent, but Kai stood there unaffected.

"Don't make me laugh, there is no way that you're ever going to defeat me with any of your techniques."

"You sure? You should remember **_that_** one." Kai's eyes became wide, he was disappearing and reappearing in random places, it was some kind of instant movement technique.

"You can't use it as long as I'm constantly moving." he said victoriously and appeared behind Silver's back

"Divine Spell : Ice coffin." demons lost his boith arms and an coffin former around Silver.

Exorcist mage started to struggle, he used a lot of his magic to get off it on time, meanwhile Kai's arms started to regenerate.

"How?" older man asked surprised.

"With this body and my regeneration abilities I can cast lesser Divine Spells of Sacrifice on my own whim." and he stated to made dodging maneuvers once again, Silver closed his eyes.

"Ice Demon's Paws" a torrent made of ice and snow started to hit every position where Kai were, missing, just about millimeters form its target.

"Too fast for you, you old geezer?" demon was mocking him, this time he appeared right in front of the Guardian of the Ninth Gate and placed his hand on the Silver's breastplate, catching him off guard.

"Divine Spell: Frozen Chains" once again he sacrificed his arms, but his opponent was now immobilized, pinned down to the floor with unbreakable chains.

"Gyahahahahaha your head is now mine, Silver!" he was about to made a finishing blow, but his body would not move.  
"Problems?" man asked mockingly.  
"What is this shit? Answer me!" demon was furious.  
"Looks like my son is resisting after all." Demon Slayer said happily.

"Bullshit, we made a deal, as long as the girl lives he can't do shit."  
"Aren't you now the biggest danger of all?" Silver asked.

Juvia walked up with the little girl to them, Kai started to panic, he was so close to his goal.

"You've tricked me!" he yelled.  
"Yeah I did." man stated matter-of-factly.  
"Why Gray can't move?" Lillis asked, she wasn't scare of his demon looks.  
"I don't know, maybe we need to come closer." Juvia suggested.

"Fuck, beaten by a little girl this is ridiculous." as Lillis and Juvia were getting closer to him he started to scream and running amok through the place, the fight for the control over the Gray's body began. After a few minutes of what was looking like colossal pain the demon dropped to his knees, his eyes were no longer yellow, but the demon-like appearances remained, shorty after he fell on the ground unconscious, his fall released also everyone from the ice.

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**Please don't kill me. Review ?**

*Eventually mistakes will be corrected in the nearest future. I'm now a little tired after this chapter -_-


	20. Chapter 20 : Dance of Death

I tried something new, that's why it's special, also this is 20th chapter of my story, second part of this chapter was inspired by song **Dance of the Death by Iron Maiden**, I really recommend you to listen to it. Enjoy!

* * *

Gray was standing alone in in the darkness, ice mage was quite surprised, his body was back to normal, no ice-limbs, no demon like features, it was weird, but very convenient for him, he could see a pillar of light from the distance and decided to investigate it. When Icemith was close to it he saw Kai, previous owner of his body was trapped in chains, his movements were restricted, demon was struggling but it was useless, no matter how hard he was trying there was no way to break the perfectly white chains, Kai looked at Gray, they were now surrounded by the images and scenes from his life.

"Guess you have bested me this time." demon said. Gray didn't response, he was looking at him with disgust.

"But you should remember this, the moment that you'll hesitate I'll be there to crush your skull and take over once and for-" but Icesmith placed an ice-muzzle on his mouth, preventing him from saying anything more.

"Sorry, ain't happening." he said confidently to the demon living inside of him when he was starting to struggle once more trying to break the chains.

Ice mage suddenly woke up from his strange dream, his vision was blurry, it took a moment for him to see things clearly. From what it looked he was in some kind of medium-sized tent, Gray tried to move but somehow he couldn't, even his head was immobilized.

"It's no use, we're in a rather bad situation." a voice said to him, he recognized it.  
"Hades..." Gray hissed with hatred.

"No, you can call me Jellal now." Icesmith's eyes became wide.  
"What do you mean by that?" he asked curiously the former Lord of the Underworld.

"Hades's soul is no longer in my body, he was freed by Erza." blue haired man explained to him, he was in chains as well.  
"You want me to believe that you volunteered to be Hades's vessel?" Gray asked sarcastically.  
"Of all people you should know the best." man replied calmly.

Silence.

"I guess we will be killed in no time, nothing new, heh." Jellal said as if it was nothing to worry about.  
"Yeah, I was sentenced to death more than once, but tell me where are we?" Gray decided to draw some information from that man.

"After you've won over your other self, they took us immediately to some hidden placement, that's all that I know." Gray started to struggle, he was tired of all this.  
"There is no use Icesmith, you can't even use your demon ice-magic in these chains." blue haired man said boringly.

"I know that, after all I was once in military but they have one particular weakness." he said and pulled the chains with all of his force, the shackles on his ankles and wrists remained, but the chains were broken.

"You can break them with pure, brute force." he continued and stood up, stretching a little bit, his body was sore.  
"So you're a truly demon." Jellal said in amusement. he had a look of a man who didn't care anymore about anything, especially about his own life.

Gray looked at his reflection in the bowl with water, he had still gray scales all over his body, his arms below elbows were still made from ice as well as his legs below knees. He could feel spikes rising on his back and when he turned back he saw the end of an ice tail, he was a true monster, not to mention shackles with the remnants of a chain around his wrists and ankles. It was the look of a true demon who just got free from his prison. Icesmith was staring for a while at his _friend in distress,_ who had some kind of strange suit on him with holes on his hips and shoulders, Gray moved closer to him to release him from his chains, but then someone walked in, it was no other than the King of Olympus, Laxus Dreyar, Lightning Dragon Slayer and the Deicider.

"I won't do this If I were you." he said calmly to Gray, who was so shocked that didn't dare to made a move.  
"Sit." blonde man commanded him and he sat on the nearest chair, which was little hard to do with his tail.

"As you are probably aware, none of you is the most pleasant citizen of our City, I'd rather kill you now, but apparently you're a high valuable as a military resource." he turned his attention to Gray.  
"And your father asked me to lock you up somewhere until he'll be able to pay you a visit." Gray eyes became wide, memory of his fight with Silver was still fresh in his mind, which resulted in him standing rapidly up.

"Where is he, where's my father?!" he yelled, Laxus looked at him rather bored eyes.  
"He's back to his business, which is guarding the ninth gate." Gray remembered one more thing, a little girl that saved him from falling into eternal darkness.

"And what about Lillis, is she safe?"  
"You mean the little girl? Yes, she's safe, but you can't meet her now and that's all I was going to say to you, have a nice day." Thunder God said and started to walk out, but someone grabbed his arm.

"You're joking right? You're leaving us here just like that? Even that I'm free and I can run away?" Gray asked, his mind was full of suspicions.  
"Take a look outside." blonde man replied calmly.

Gray went outside, there were in the heart of the Wild, what is more there were flying Lacrima orbs on the sky, his eyes widened.

"This can't be..." he said in the act of despair.

"Oh yes it can, you see... both of you need hmmm... How to call it, _special attention_." Laxus was referring to the Thunder Palace flying in the sky  
"If any of you will try to get out from the area you'll be simply fried, even you with your demon powers, or that guy over there, but don't worry you have some nice conditions here, have fun, Icesmith." King said and patted him on the back, before changing into lightning and vanishing in the sky.

Gray was back in the tent.

"Heh I guess we'll staying here for a while." blue haired man said, Gray wanted to break his chains, but he interfered.  
"No, just leave me like this, I need some time to think." Icesmith wordlessly left the tent and went for something that in his head was a long walk."

Jellal was left alone with his own thoughts, he started to plan an escape, but that whole Thunder Palace thing just thwarted his plans. Heavenly mage was prepared for such thing, suddenly he heard somebody entering his prison.

"You returned quite quickly, Icesmith." he said without even looking who it was.  
"Jellal..." it was a well known feminine voice , blue haired mage became stiff, she knelt in front of him with a concerned face.

"Please... just leave me alone." he was begging her, but in response she just slapped him in his face and started crying.

"Why?! Why you've become a vessel?! All this years I thought that you were dead!" she was waiting for some kind of explanation from him, but it never came instead he asked her.  
"Do you remember the promise that I made to you when we were kids?"

Erza's mind drifted away to the good old days, when everything was simpler. She was just an orphan, raised by priestesses of Athena, the doctrine ruling there was quite conservative, but as the child of Ares and Athena she was also taking lessons of swordsmanship. Titania was raised to be the first high priestess of two different gods, from the early morning to the sunset her whole day was packed with exercises and hard work, but one day changed everything for her.

* * *

Little Scarlet was sitting in in front of the window with the view at the garden, she was reading a book that the high priestess gave her, it was the set of rules that must be followed by the priestess of Athena, when suddenly she saw a boy who was trying to steal some oranges from their tree. He was all dirty and was wearing torn clothes, he was probably from lower caste of citizens.

"Hey you! Stop right now!" she yelled and jumped through the window, charging at the boy.

He looked at her, there was a red tattoo on the right side of his face, boy sent her a brief glance and started to run, she was chasing him. Little thief was just like snake, maneuvering between people like there were not existing, she had a hard time keeping up on the crowded streets of traders district. Erza caught a shadow of him when he was turning in a dead end, dark alley.

_Hah I got you_ she thought to herself, but all she saw there was a bunch of trash bags. Suddenly she heard a noise, little girl looked up only to saw the boy climbing up the building, he was doing it effortlessly as if he was doing it his whole life. Erza decided to chase him further, with some problem but she managed to climb on the rooftop, boy was far away, but still in her sight.

He stood on the end of the rooftop, smiling to her mockingly as if he was waiting there for her, she started to run faster to catch up with him.

_There's nowhere you can go now thief_ , but the boy jumped on the other roof through the fairly big space between the buildings, it was risky but Erza decided to jump too, she was a god's offspring, there was nothing she couldn't do, but apparently that jump was too much for her, she didn't make it. Little girl's eyes became wide and right about when she was going about to panic a firm hand grabbed her arm and pulled up safely to the roof.

"Why did you helped me, thief?" she asked him, still covered in cold sweat as the result of her near death experience.  
"I had fun with you, see ya!" boy said happily and started to run in unknown direction, leaving dazed girl behind.

After a half of hour Erza was back in her temple, she received a scolding from the high priestess, something about that running on the roof is not a exercise good for the future high priestess of two temples. She was laying in her bed, thinking about the thief, when she heard a voice.

"So that's how the higher caste is living, pretty nice."  
"Wha-What are you doing here?" she asked blushing, she tried to keep her voice low, "Don't you know that boys are not allowed in the girl's rooms?" girl was scared, because if the priestess would find out she will receive a big punishment.

"Relax." boy said, he was standing on her desk looking around curiously, after a while he jumped off, walked to her and gave her a hand  
"My name is Jellal Fernandes what's yours?" he asked.  
"Umm... I'm Erza." she said shyly.  
"You don't have last name or a nickname?" it was something uncommon for him.  
"No..." girl replied sadly.

"How about Scarlet, because, you know, your hair are like this." he pointed at them.  
"Erza Scarlet..." she repeated.

From that day onward they became best friends Jellal was practically there every night, telling her fascinating stories about living on the streets of Olympus, she was charmed with them, girl even sneaked out a few times at night with him. But then the cursed day has come, she was trying so hard to push it deep in the depth of her mind.

As usually Erza was listening to Jellal's fascinating story, it was about how he outsmarted an old grumpy trader and stole fruits from him to gave the poor and hungry people living on streets. She was laying on her bed, on the stomach, supporting her head with her hands. Blue haired boy was gesticulating, he was showing her how he managed to slip out from the punishment, when the doors slammed open, the high priestess with the Divine Guards behind her back walked in the room.

"Erza move aside from that boy." she commanded and the girl paled. Jellal tried to ran away, but the armors, fueled by the souls of warriors grabbed him before he could do anything.  
"Let me go you tin head!" he was yelling, kicking with his legs in air.  
"Please priestess let him go, he didn't do anything." Erza was begging, her superior looked at her with cold eyes.

"I was spying on you for the last few days young lady, future priestess is not allowed to have such company, you're the child of gods, you can't be seen with such a lowlife." she said harshly and continued. "Besides this boy is a wanted criminal my dear, there is a scaffold awaiting for him." Erza was terrified, she looked at Jellal waiting for any kind of denial form him, but there was none.

"Jellal Fernandes, age 10, accused of countless robberies and murder of Stefano Fernandes." emotionless voice of Divine Guardian echoed, Erza covered her mouth with a hand, she couldn't believe that he was a murderer, but he just smiled and said

"Don't cry Erza, there's no need to cry over the sinner's life. I promise that some day I'll make it up to you." and the guard took him out.

"I assume that you have learned a valuable lesson today my child, the only safe place for you is the temple." high priestess said when she was closing the doors behind her, leaving crying and confused Erza alone in her room.

* * *

"And you wanted to fulfill your promise by turning into Hades's vessel?!" she yelled.  
"Guess I owe you an explanation." he started, smiling to her and calming her with it a little bit,

"I ran away from the scaffold, but since then I was forced to live in the Lost City, that's where I learned Heavenly Body Magic and made this suite..." he paused, something was bothering him but she didn't know what, yet.

"I was thinking about you day and night, when I learned that Hades was going to capture a certain high priestess and posses her as a vessel, because she was the God's Child I decided to do something about it." he stopped. Erza's eyes became wide, but she said nothing.

"So I went to him, I was quite famous in the shady circles of the Underworld and offered him my body instead, he accepted the deal." there was a moment of silence between them.

"You... You've saved me." she hugged him tightly and tried to take off his suite, but he let out a growl of pain. "Jellal wha-what is this?" she asked scared, his whole body was burned.

"When I used my magic for the first time in this suite, it didn't go as planned, burning it permanently to my skin." once again tears started to run from her eyes.

* * *

Gray was walking alone through the Wild, trapped in the area of the Thunder Palace with that Jellal guy surely wasn't something that he liked, but there was nothing he could do about it, even with his demon powers, he would change into a pile of ash if he would try to run away from there. He found a nice spot to watch the stars, it was always helping him in thinking, as if all the answers to his problems were hidden in the them. Slowly the clouds started to cover the sky, hiding all the stars from him, and the rain started to fall. He stood up and turned around, but what he saw made him immediately stop. In front of him was standing no other than the Death goddess herself, she was still wearing bandages, for a while there they were just staring at each other, nobody said even a single word, the only noise was coming from the rain dropping on the ground. He started to walk, and when was past her, she spoke.

"Juvia is sorry." that made him stop, but he didn't turned around to face her.  
"There is no need for you to feel that way." he said emotionlessly.  
"But Juvia didn't come when Gray-sama was in need." goddess was referring to the accident under the Elysium gate.  
"It's not your fault" tone of his voice was making her, more and more concerned.  
"Gray-sam-"

"Stop it!" he yelled and finally turned to her, "There is nothing in me that you should appreciate, can't you see how I look, what I've become? I sold my very soul in the name of revenge, my own friends despise me!" he lost his cool for a while.

"How about the little girl?" she asked curiously, tilting her head to the side to catch his eyes.

"She's none of your concern, it'll be better for everyone if you would have killed me back then! There is no place in this world for me." all of the sudden Juvia's face became serious, she walked slowly to him and took one of his demon hands.

"What are you doing?" he asked  
"Juvia wants to show Gray-sama something." He followed her, in the rain, Icemisth didn't know where they were going, but after they went through some bushes he saw a burned out bonfire with bones and decayed bodies around it.

"What is this?" he asked but there was no answer, Juvia walked up to the pile of bones, there was also guitar laying near it.

"Can you play something for Juvia?" the pile of bones changed into a complete skeleton.  
"For my goddess? Everything." and he slowly started to play on the guitar, Gray was amazed, it seemed like everything was getting back to life, even the bonfire was lit again, the rain was still dropping.

_Let me tell you a story to chill the bones about a things that I saw  
One night wandering in the everglades. I'd one drink but no more_

_I was rambling, enjoying the bright moonlight. Gazing up at the stars_  
_Not aware of a presence so near to me. Watching my every move_

_Feeling scared and I fell to my knees. As something rushed me from the trees_  
_Took me to an unholy place. And that is where I fell from grace_

_Then they summoned me over to join in with them. To the dance of the dead_  
_In to the circle of fire I followed them. In to the middle I was led_

_As if time had stopped still I was numb with fear. But still I wanted to go_  
_And the blaze of the fire did not hurt upon me. As I walked onto the coals_

_And I felt I was in a trance. And my spirit was lifted from me_  
_And if only someone had the chance. To witness what happened to me_

_And I danced and I pranced and I sang with them. All had death in their eyes_  
_Lifeless figures they were undead all of them. They had ascended from hell_

Music started to be more energetic, even the corpses that were laying around started to move, which scared him a little, Icesmith took a defensive stance, but Juvia's hand reached for him and calmed him a little bit.

"Don't worry Gray-sama, they are friends." she explained to him, after that goddess happily walked to them and started to dance, he must admit that it was a marvelous view, Death Goddess dancing between the dead. Juvia was so gracefully, her short, soaked hair were flying in each way when she was dancing, her torn leather armor wasn't interrupting her at all. The way she was moving left him speechless, she was still covered in bandages, her wings were ripped off, but she was dancing and smiling in the rain, while the only thing he was able to do was grief about the past.

_As I danced with the dead my free spirit was laughing and howling down at me  
Below my undead body just danced the circle of dead_

_Until the time came to reunite us both. My spirit came back down to me_  
_I didn't know if I was alive or dead. As the others all joined in with me_

Gray was still standing on the sides, enjoying the view when she appeared right near him and grabbed his demon hand with his own skeleton one, forcing him to dance with her.

"You know that demons can't dance, right?" he was resisting a little bit.  
"Is Gray-sama afraid of losing?" she teased him, goddess looked a lot more confident that usual.  
"It's on." was all he replied, and he started to dance with her, as he never did with anyone before .

_By luck then a skirmish started. And took the attention away from me  
When they took their gaze from me. Was the moment that I fled_

_I ran like hell faster than the wind. But behind I did not glance_  
_One thing that I did not dare. Was to look just straight ahead_

They become intoxicated with the music, none of them wanted to stop, they kept on dancing faster and more violent, the undead bodies were surrounding the demon and goddess, making a circle around them, for the first time she saw him smiling.

_When you know that your time has come around. You know you'll be prepared for it.  
Say your last goodbyes to everyone. Drink and say a prayer for it_

_When you're lying in your sleep, when you're lying in your bed_  
_And you wake from your dreams to go dancing with the dead_  
_When you're lying in your sleep, when you're lying in your bed_  
_And you wake from your dreams to go dancing with the dead_

Suddenly music become slow, he unconsciously grabbed her and pulled closer to himself.

_To this day I guess I'll never know. Just why they let me go  
But I'll never go dancing no more. 'Til I dance with the dead _

Skeleton and the revived bodies fell apart, leaving both of them alone near the lit bonfire, they were close, so close that she could felt his breath on her own lips. Wet and sweaty,they were standing like that for a little while, looking each other in the eyes, when Juvia was finally aware of the situation they were in she blushed violently and jumped back, leaving astonished Gray.

"I guess we should go back, we're soaked wet." he stated.

"Um... yes." she agreed and they went back to the tent in the center of the Thunder Palace, she was walking slightly behind him, Gray had a smirk on his face, he was quietly repeating the last line of the song "But I'll never go dancing no more... 'Til I dance with the dead."

* * *

**Review?**


	21. Chapter 21 : King

**Hellow?**

* * *

It was a really nice day in Olympus, sun was shining, streets were full of citizens, there was nearly no sign that the City was attacked not so long ago. Everyone were in the chase of their own matters, but people remembered the promise that Strategist made, about Cursed Icesmith's head. Between the cheerful laughs and noises, you could hear the voices of impatient people saying no too kind words about the military or even the King himself, but at least children were running happily on the streets, one of them bumped on a hooded man,

"So-Sorry mister" scared boy apologized, but the man kept on walking as if he didn't notice him. It was looking like his point of destination were the main barracks of the army in the east part of the city, they called it the Vengeance District, it got his own name after the Lyon's Expedition. Hooded man was trying to enter the building of the Main Headquarters, but was stopped by an ordinary private.

"You're not going in there you hobo" he said with some kind of superiority in his voice, but as soon as he caught a glimpse of the man's face he instantly became pale. "I-I'm so-sorry, I-I didn't mean to.." he stumbled. Shady person passed him as if he was nothing more than an air. When he was inside the headquarters, he entered the first room on his right side, it was an empty, dusted room, there was nothing interesting if not for a statue of Minotaur standing on the opposite wall, he walked to it. Shady person removed his hood, revealing short,blonde hair, and pulled one of the statue's horns.

Laxus was walking down the wet, stairs, it was dark in there, the only light was coming from the lacrima crystals hanging on the walls, it was giving off the feel of a classic dungeon. There was a long corridor awaiting for him, with countless doors on the both sides, before each of them was standing pair of the Divine Guardians, apparently it was some kind of secretly,high security prison, every one of the Guardians was saluting and greeting him when he was passing by. King stopped before the door with number one on them, it was representing the level of danger inside, notation was from five to zero, where the lower the number the higher the danger, Gray at the his time before the trial had a big round zero on his doors.

"I wish to enter." he said emotionlessly to the guards.  
"Yes, my King." they replied in unison and the door opened, the blonde man entered a fairly big room, half of it was behind the some kind of a reinforced,magic kinetic field, the room was well equipped, as if there was a royalty held in there, with Persian carpet, oak furniture and king-sized bed, there was a woman sitting on it.

"You dropped by to say hi?" a feminine voice asked , she was wearing a long red dress.  
"You may call it that." he took his cloak off and sit on a very comfortable looking chair.  
"Why are you doing all this?" she turned her gaze to him.

"Don't you remember? I promised you that I'll help you bring her back," Laxus was avoiding saying _that_ name on purpose, "besides have you already forgot that you murdered my men?"

"Ah yes, I'm sorry for that..." she said sadly.  
"I'm still impressed about that how do you managed to live for three years right under my nose and became the captain of the wall guards, unfortunately you've slaughtered them all."

"I know, I remember each of them, they were good men." she lowered her head, "But this is not why I'm here do I, Laxus?" her tone became a little bit more aggressive, Thunder God didn't know where it was coming from.

"You need to understand, this is the only way I can protect you." he said, having hope that it would be enough for her.  
"By holding me captive?" she had true demon look in her eyes.

"Mira please." Laxus stood up, trying to get closer to the wall separating them.  
"Why didn't just you leave me in Hades as I wanted to?" she was pushing on him.

"The circumstances-" he tried to explain, but was abruptly interrupted.  
"Don't lie to me, you were afraid of your subordinates reaction, it would hurt your pride, and what's more you'll lost in their eyes as a _King._"she put an accent of that last word.

"I thought that we had _that_ thing past us." he tried to reason with her, but it was no use.  
"I will never forgive you _that_." she sat back on her bed, "How's my brother?" Mira asked with concern.

"He's state was critical, but he's stable now." god answered.  
"Good." Mira replied simply.

'This time I'll keep my promise." Laxus was trying to assure her.  
"I know" she stated blankly.

"So why are you like his?" he asked irritated, he had enough of her giving him the cold shoulder treatment.

"Because you made your decision, you've chosen being the King over being yourself." Mira turner her back to him. Laxus said nothing in response to her words, he just silently left the room, but she could hear the sound of sparks coming from the corridor.

Laxus stormed out from the headquarters, he wasn't even bothering to disguise himself, which resulted in the terrified looks of anybody who he walked past by, especially considering that he was pissed off. When he was at the courtyard, he changed into his lightning form, leaving a burned mark, that way he could be in the Heavenly Palace in much faster.

God landed on the balcony, there was always a loud roar when he was doing so, King was back to his human shape so he entered his private quarters. He was frustrated, after that whole talk with Mira, because it didn't go as planned, even more, it was the totally opposite of what Laxus planned. He knew that bringing her here would do no good, but he had to, otherwise the members of the former expedition would have killed her in that damned place, there was no good choice in that situation, it was what he used to think but now after that conversation his mind was full of doubts. But Laxus had an important meeting to attend to, so he changed his clothes and entered the throne room, which was right near his private quarters, god sat at his slightly destroyed yellow throne and waited for his guest.

Laxus was getting bored with all the waiting, when suddenly big doors to the throne room slammed open, there was a pink haired man walking through them.

"Sup Laxus!" he said casually.  
"That's not how you address your King." blonde man was having a really bad day.

"You ain't my king, I'm a prince mys-" but before he could finish a lightning struck him.  
"You were saying something?" Laxus asked mockingly.

"Ok, ok message received." Dragneel said, he didn't want to make Laxus more angry that he already was, so he just stood on the side, near the pillar, playing with his red tail.

Next one to come was the noble Strategist, but because that his Expedition turned out to be a disaster, he wasn't so respected as he was before, some people were even laughing behind his back, but they were too afraid to say it out loud or to face him. He walked there slowly and knelt before the god.

"My King." he said with respect and stood on the left side of the King, since Lyon's episode with Lucy Natsu was hating that guy, but he managed to held it when it mattered.

From the shadow of the throne emerged no other than Gajeel, he was wearing an Infiltration and Assassination Squad uniform, he had and orange bandana tied around his right wrist. He wasn't in the best shape since the time when Levy sacrificed her own life for him. He was more distanced, Iron Dragon Slayer wasn't even answering to the taunts from Dragneel when he tried to annoy him. He just stood there.

The last one to made an appearance was Loke, he walked through the doors and waved to Laxus, with his hand.  
"Yo." blonde man replied with the same motion of his hand. Dream God was pointing with his middle finger at Lyon.

"You're going to die, now." Strategist's eyes became wide, he didn't know what to do when Loke grabbed him by the collar of his coat and dragged to the window.

"Sounds like fun!" Natsu yelled from behind, he also wanted to see the ice mage changing into a stain of blood, Lyon was hanging like ten meters above the ground.

"I know what you did you bastard!" Loke was furious. When he found out what Strategist did to Juvia, he instantly wanted to go and kill him, but he couldn't, Aries would never forgive him that, but now when she wasn't around there were no restrictions.

"My King can you lend me a hand here?" Lyon was trying to remain his cool, but it was hard, when a god was about to throw you out the window.

"Nope." Laxus answered casually, he was still sitting in his throne, not even slightly bothered by the whole situation. "You need to face the consequences, Strategist." Lyon feared for his life, he could easily avoid the fall with the making of an ice-dragon, but what if the god would choose to pursue him?

"Why did you do that? Why? Answer me!" Loke had fires blazing in his eyes,  
"I doubt that anything I can say will change your mind." he replied calmly, looking right in the orange haired man's eyes.

"You little-" Loke was about to punch him and sent him on the ground, but was stopped by Laxus's hand.  
"I think that is enough." he said, tightening the grip on his friend hand.

"You don't understand!" he turned back to him, letting go of Lyon, who summoned an ice-dragon to save himself.  
"You can despise him, but that won't change the fact that we need him." Thunder God explained.  
"Ugh." Loke yanked his hand, releasing it from Laxus's grip.

"Now follow me." blonde man commanded them and all of them walked right behind him to the room which was near the throne room, it was resembling the War Tent from the Expedition camp, there was a big table right in the center, covered with all kind of maps.

"So why are we here?" Gajeel finally spoke up.

"As some of you may know, Hades came to the Icesmith with a proposition, it was when he was hospitalized right after the Deliora incident. He told him that behind ninth gate is locked up no other that Cronus himself." they all shared confused looks. "But what do you don't know is that it was a total bullshit, Cronus is not behind the ninth gate, only that damned Silver knows what or who is there." Laxus slammed his fist on the table.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaand you're telling us this because?" Natsu asked, he was bored.

"That thing behind ninth gate is something that Hades desires, we don't now what it is exactly, but in order to open it you need to beat all the nine guardians, yet it is not enough." Loke continued, he and Laxus was planning this operation for a few days.

"What do you mean?" Lyon asked, he was getting more and more curious.

"To pass through the last gate you need also the Icesmith's silver necklace and something called the Scythe of Cronus." Laxus explained, he checked if everyone understood.

"Getting the necklace will be easy, since his owner is our prisoner, but obtaining the Scythe is far more complicated." blonde man continued.

"Where is it?" Gajeel asked.  
"Nowhere, that's the problem." Thunder god replied simply.  
"Huh?" Natsu didn't understand.

"It's something that needs to be created."

"Do we have some kind of blueprints or something like that?" Lyon was trying to find out how to made it.  
"No, only the Cronus himself knows how to create it."

"But Cronus is long dead." Dragneel interrupted once again.  
"Actually that's not true, do you know what Elysium is?" Laxus asked them suspiciously.

"Who doesn't? A happy part of Hades, where everything is beautiful and cute, but when your body and soul enter there you lost all your memories." Natsu was getting bored, with this conversation.

"But do you know who runs the place?" Loke asked, everybody except him and Laxus were in shock "Where is the kingdom there must be the king." he continued.

"Don't tell me that..." Gajeel eyes were wide.  
"Yes."

"So I assume that we are going to Elysium now?" Lyon asked.  
"Tch, call me when we will be leaving I have other meetings to attend to." and the Iron Dragon Slayer vanished in the shadows.

"I should go too, see ya Laxus!" and Natsu jumped off the window dodging the lightning bolt which was about to hit him.  
"My, King." Lyon bowed his head and walked out from the room, closing the doors behind him.

"You're not going?" he asked curiously the orange haired man.  
"In a minute." he replied and sat on a chair.

"How is it going?" Thunder God asked his friend.

"It's rough, she still doesn't trust me as she used to, can't blame her, after all I'm the Deicider, and how about you?" Loke said placing a hand on his forehead.  
"I prefer not to talk about it."

"That bad?" Laxus sent him a dangerous look. "Ok,ok I guess I'll be going now, but remember you did what a King must to do." and he disappeared, leaving the blonde man alone in the room.

* * *

Lyon was walking down the street, there were different emotions on the pedestrians faces when they saw him, some of them were expressing respect, some disregard. His direction was the fairly high building in the shape of a dome, it was heavily guarded, which meant that it was an important place, the inscription said _Science and __Research Department_ Lyon entered the main building, there were alot of people inside, running around in the lab coats. It was looking like a total chaos, but after a while you could see that each of them was heading in the certain direction. It was like some sort of bee hive, where everyone was assigned to his task. Lyon felt like and intruder in there, but nobody seemed to notice him. He was standing in the large hall, looking around when he spot an elevator and made his way there through the crowd, he could hear a sporadic sound of an explosion coming from somewhere in the labs. Elevator was empty, he pushed the button with label B14, on it, it started to slowly and steadily move down.

The whole ride was bout ten minutes long, when he went out from the elevator, he saw a short corridor with a Divine Guardian before the doors.

"Please identify yourself." armor said emotionlessly.  
"Lyon Vastia, Main Strategist."  
"Identity confirmed."

The doors have opened, the view was amazing, there was a whole structure built around the monstrous block of ice with demon trapped inside of it. There were two women awaiting for him, one was his assistant Chelia Blendy and the other was also a pink haired woman in a white lab coat.

"Isn't it wonderful?! We have a real demon to our disposition!" she said excited.

"You are a strange woman, Chief of the Since and Research Department." Lyon replied, her name was Meredy, she might be light headed sometimes or overexcited but nonetheless she was a user of Magulity Sense magic, it allows to make two or more people senses as one. It doesn't sound as powerful as it truly was, she was respected by her subordinates, Meredy preferred the science life over the dreadfulness and loneliness of a solider.

"Have you find a way to melt it?" he asked.  
"Yes, but it'll kill the caster in the process." she said to him, closely watching his expressions  
"It doesn't matter." Lyon stated firmly.

"But mast-" Chelia was trying to say something, but was interrupted by him.  
"I said it doesn't matter."  
"Y-yes" girl lowered her head.

"Can I leave it in your hands?" he asked, turning to Meredy.  
"Sure, but I need an acceptation from the King." woman in the lab coat replied.

"Don't worry you'll get it soon enough."  
"What do you mean?" she asked curiously.  
"You'll see." she said mysteriously and he left with his assistant following him, little girl was worried about him, but she did not have the courage to speak.

* * *

Thunder Palace was still flying in the sky, but no more than few days ago Laxus provided them with beds and an additional tent, Gray knew that it was Scarlet's job, he could see that she and that Jellal guy had something going on between them, but he chose not to interfere, knowing Erza it could go for him from awkward to very painful. Icesmith was still unable to use his magic, he was able to broke the chains but the shackles remained, banning him from using any magic.

Gray was laying on his bed, he could hear the rain dropping from the sky and hitting the tent, he must admit that it was quite relaxing, one could say calming. There was a blunette sitting right near him, she was moving awkwardly on her chair, as if something was bothering her, she was making so much noise that it started to irritate him, but truth to be told, he was enjoying her company, after all she was the only one to visit him in his cursed prison.

"Can I ask you something?" he asked with closed eyes, it was disturbing her that he was never addressing her by her name.  
"Yes." she said blushing, Gray noticed that she was less embarrassed since their dance.  
"How's Lillis?"

"Umm..." she put a finger at her chin,"She's okay, there is nothing threatening her, Gray-sama's little sister is under the care of Apollo's priestesses, from what Juvia knows. And Oracle really likes her, she's like an older sibling for her." goddess looked at him, for a brief moment there he had a faint smile on his face.

Gray mind drifted away to the far memory of Wendy, he thought that Lillis should be safe and happy with her, until he got out from there and took her to their home in the Lost City. Home, this word was so abstract for him, so unreal, but even a cursed man like him had somewhere where he wanted to go back to. Gray was regretting only one thing, that in the end he wasn't able to break into the Elysium and took Ur back with him. He looked back at Juvia, she was not covered in any bandages anymore, but her wings were still missing.

"Will they grow back?" he asked curiously, there was a short moment of silence.  
"Juvia doesn't know." she replied lowering her head.

"I kinda miss them." he really did, he always though there was something extremely beautiful about them.  
"Gray-sama does?!" she asked, she was a little bit overexcited with his comment.

"Yeah, they suited you." Juvia was in awe, she just received a complement from her perfect man, "So tell me about the City, how there is now?" he continued.

"The walls are repaired, the level of protection in the Olympus was raised highly but the Demi-corpses don't disturb the citizens too much, Juvia guesses it's quite peacefully there." she knew all that form Loke, who was currently residing there as an official guest of the King, he tried to convince her to went there with him, but she declined the offer.

"Ummm can now Juvia ask a question?" she lowered her head again and started to play with her hair, it was something embarrassing or bothering her a long, long time, he couldn't guess. But when she opened her mouth all he heard was some sort of a mumble.

"Speak up, I can't hear you." he said to her.

"I-Is there someone whom Gray-sama..." she stopped, her cheek was already red.  
"...that I... ? he tried to help her finish the sentence.

"ThatGraysamaloves." she said it so fast, that Icesmith could barely understand it. He didn't know why she asked a question like this, what he should say? He never really loved a girl, not in a romantic way, he had not time to do such things. Juvia was still sitting there, violently blushing, waiting for his answer.

"I... I don't know, I guess not." he said hesitantly, she raised her head and caught his dark eyes,

"But there is that one person that did so much for me, she was always there for me I really don't know what she sees in me. Not to mention that I've put my life in her hands. This person is..." he stopped for a second, Juvia was becoming jealous about that woman, she had already a plan how to dispose of her love rival, if she only knew her name. But before he could finish a certain blonde man entered the tent. He tossed a bag right at him and ordered.

"Take this, we are going to Elysium." Gray's eyes became wide.  
"What do you mean?" he asked surprised with the whole thing.

"There is something I need from there and you better move your ice-demon ass or do you prefer lightnings?" Laxus was irritated, he went out and so did Gray, leaving a dazed Juvia, it was looking like it wasn't her time to know who it was, but right then Icesmith poked his head in the tent.

"I nearly forget, it's you." he said and vanished once again. It took her a few seconds to process the information, and when she did, she fell out of the chair, blushing, her hands on her cheeks, she did not know what to do with herself. _G-Gray-sama likes, me?_. But she quickly remembered their current situation and rushed outside, looking for the two men.

Laxus was already dragging Jellal out from his tent by force, it was looking like he was in the middle of something with Erza when the god entered their tent, Scarlet was looking embarrassed of what just happened, it couldn't end good. Blue haired man was still in his strange suit, after all it was burned to his skin.

"What is the meaning of this?!" Erza was yelling after she regained some of her lost dignity.  
"You don't need to worry it does not concern you." Laxus explained to her.

"Laxus!" she yelled furiously.

"I'm taking those two as a meat-shields to Elysium, there are sentenced to death anyway, so I though that I could use them." he stated as if it was nothing to worry about. Suddenly a dark fog appeared, you could see three men in it, each with different hair color.

"I fucking hate this!" Dragneel was complaining about the travelling through the Shadow Realm.  
"Let me tell you something Flamebrain" Gajeel paused for a moment, turned to him and continued with "NOBODY CARES!" Iron Dragon Slayer yelled at him, he tried to be more calm, but he had enough.

"You want to fight?" there was a pulsing vein on Salamander's forehead.  
"Primitives." Strategist joined the quarrel, dragging the attention of the two Dragon Slayers. Suddenly the lightnings started to strike right from the raining sky.

"You little suckers better calm down, now." the three of them stopped their fight, they did not want to make Laxus any angrier.  
"I got these two" he pointed at Gray and Jellal " so we're going."

"Juvia wants to go too." Death Goddess said definitely.

"Are you sure Goddess?" Laxus asked, everybody knew what Lyon did to her, she just nodded in response, that whole thing got Gray worried, a mission with all of them couldn't end well. What is more he didn't want to drag Juvia in another mess.

"WHAT ABOUT ME?!" Erza was yelling, she was a pure wrath, Titania even equipped her Purgatory Armor, and she was getting closer and closer to them.  
"Hurry up and take us from here you Iron Bastard, or else she'll kill us all!" and just like that all of them except Erza vanished in the dark fog.

* * *

Meredy was in her office, she closed the door and double checked if there was some kind of spying device installed in there, but there was none. She used her Sensory Link and was linked to someone.

"Everything goes as planned." was all she said.

* * *

**Review?**


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